Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: Titanscape on 02/12/2011 05:49:23

Title: What proportion of people are naturally resistant to HIV?
Post by: Titanscape on 02/12/2011 05:49:23

I heard years ago, that a few people had natural immunity to AIDS. Is this true, and if so, how many out of a million do?

Title: Re: What proportion of people are naturally resistant to HIV?
Post by: CliffordK on 02/12/2011 07:04:35

The notes I'm seeing are about 1/300 people, or about 0.3% of people have a natural immunity to AIDS.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/mystery-of-aids-immunity-may-be-solved-2125675.html
http://www.realclearscience.com/2010/11/04/natural_aids_immunity_due_to_mutated_protein_238261.html

Although, apparently these individuals are non-progressors, or carriers of the virus without developing fulminant AIDS.

I'm seeing a few different AIDS protection mechanisms: (http://ezinearticles.com/?HIV-AIDS---Immunity,-Eradication-and-Its-Disappearing-Victims&id=3871400)

• CCR5 Mutation - Blocking the virus entering the T4 Cells
• CCL3L1 overproduction, blocking the CCR5 receptor
• mutated human leukocyte group A (HLA) antigens also prevent penetration of the virus into T4 cells
• There also seems to be notes of a CD8+ T-Cell generation that is preventing progression of AIDS, but it seems unclear, perhaps the mechanism is still not fully described.
• Apparently HIV antibodies, but not the HIV virus passes the Blood Placenta Barrier about 75% of the time.  Anti-retroviral therapy + the blood/placenta barrier prevents about 97% of mother/baby transmission

I'm not seeing percentages of each mutation, perhaps it is the 0.3% total for all mutations.  The CCR5 mutation is apparently rare in native Africans.

Actually, I'm seeing notes that about 1% of Europeans, and central Asians are CCR5 homozygous, and about 10-15% are CCR5 heterozygous, which gives partial immunity.  CCR5 is not found in those of African origin, but other types of immunity are found.

The researchers are attributing the prevalence of the CCR5 mutation in Europeans to Smallpox, and not AIDS.

Anyway, so if you are from European descent, you would have about a 1% chance of becoming a long-term non-progressing carrier of the virus.

I wonder if physicians are doing any genetic testing as part of their anti-retroviral therapy.