Researchers said on Thursday they had pinpointed gene variations that could explain why some people are more vulnerable to HIV than others, a finding which could also boost the quest for an Aids vaccine. The variations are located in genes that control signalling molecules called human leucocyte antigens (HLA), which help identify an intruder and tell the immune system to destroy it. There are three types of HLA - A, B and C. The scientists took blood from 375 women with HIV in southern Africa who were not receiving anti-Aids drugs, and analysed the samples to get their HLA profile. Women who had one of two “protective” versions of HLA-B were likelier to survive and less likely to transmit the virus to their babies during pregnancy than counterparts who had one of two “deleterious” versions. The study, published in the British journal Nature, adds to previous work that also points the finger at HLA-B variants. Expose potential chinks
