Studies of individuals who were highly exposed but seronegative (HESN) for HIV infection led to the discovery that homozygosity for the Δ32 deletion mutation in the CCR5 gene prevents viral entry into target cells, and is associated with resistance to infection. Additionally, evidence for protective immunity has been noted in some HESN groups, such as sex workers in The Gambia. Population studi...

evidence showed that chemokines serve as pro-migratory factors for immune cells. ccl3, ccl4 and ccl5, as the main cc  chemokines subfamily members, activate immune cells through binding to cc chemokine receptor 5 or ccr5. macrophages, nk cells and t lymphocytes express ccr5 and thus, affected ccr5 expression or functions could be associated with altered immune responses. deletion of 32 base pai...

Ancient DNA methodology was applied to analyse sequences extracted from freshly unearthed remains (teeth) of 4 individuals deeply deposited in slightly alkaline soil of the Tell Ashara (ancient Terqa) and Tell Masaikh (ancient Kar-Assurnasirpal) Syrian archaeological sites, both in the middle Euphrates valley. Dated to the period between 2.5 Kyrs BC and 0.5 Kyrs AD the studied individuals carri...

Long-term non-progressors (LTNP) were identified after 10-15 years of the epidemic, and have been the subject of intense investigation ever since. In a small minority of cases, infection with nef/3'LTR deleted attenuated viral strains allowed control over viral replication. A common feature of LTNP is the readily detected proliferation of CD4 T-cells in vitro, in response to p24. In some cases,...

Chemokine and chemokine receptors show several variations which may affect resistance to infectious disease. A 32 base pair deletion in the open reading frame of the human CCR5 gene (CCR5?32) results in producing a truncated antigen which fails to be presented on the surface of target cells. CCR5?32 variant is not a functional co receptor for HIV-1 entrance and delay the onset of acquired immun...