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Research Highlights
Gene that varies by ethnic group plays role in HIV risk
January 1, 2005
A San Antonio-based research team funded by VA, the National Institutes of Health and other agencies
found that the more copies a person has of a certain gene—CCL3L1—the less likely he or she is to
develop HIV. The scientists tracked more than 4,300 U.S. adults from different ethnic groups over
several years and monitored the development of HIV and AIDS. People of European, Hispanic and
African descent had an average of two, three and four copies, respectively, of the gene. Within each
group, those with a greater-than-average number of copies of CCL3L1 were less likely to develop HIV
and experience rapid progression of AIDS. The findings may play a role in helping doctors
individualize HIV diagnosis and treatment.
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