HECT domain and RCC1-like domain-containing protein 5 (HERC-5) is one of the novel host restriction factors that is known to inhibit HIV release in vitro. Polymorphisms in other host restriction factors have been associated with HIV infection and disease progression. However, no report is available on the HERC-5 polymorphism in HIV-infected individuals. We studied the HERC-5 gene polymorphism in HIV-infected individuals and explored whether it is associated with different disease outcomes. Genomic DNA was isolated from 41 HIV-1 progressors, 39 long-term nonprogressors, and 74 HIV seronegative healthy donors for amplification of HERC5 Exon-18 and other regulatory regions followed by sequencing. We found no genetic variation in the known single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-rs34457268 (Exon-18) of HERC-5 in HIV-infected individuals. Instead, a synonymous mutation at rs6857425 (T-C) was present in the same region among all study groups (p > .05), irrespective of their HIV status. We further noted two novel SNPs in Intron-18 region. To the best of our knowledge, this is first study to report the HERC5 gene polymorphism among HIV-infected groups.
Keywords: HERC-5; HIV; exon; long-term nonprogressors; synonymous polymorphism.