Influence of Variations in CCL3L1 and CCR5 on Tuberculosis in a Northwestern Colombian Population

We investigated the association of polymorphisms in CCR5, the major human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 coreceptor, and copy number of its potent ligand CCL3L1 with tuberculosis in 298 individuals from Colombia. The CCR5-HHD haplotype, a known genetic determinant of increased susceptibility to HIV-AIDS, and a high copy number of CCL3L1, a known genetic determinant of enhanced CCL3/CCL3L1 chemokine expression, each associated with presence of tuberculosis. Furthermore, CCR5-HHD was associated with higher CCR5 gene and surface expression. These results substantiate the strong link between the proinflammatory effects of CCR5 and its ligands with active tuberculosis and suggest that chemokine-chemokine receptor genetic determinants may influence tuberculosis in addition to HIV/AIDS. © The Author 2011. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved.