Prevalence of CCR5 Delta 32 Genetic Variant in the Turkmen Population of Golestan Province, Northeast of Iran

Abstract

The 32 bp deletion in the chemokine receptor (C-C motif) 5 gene (CCR5 Δ32) is a natural loss of function polymorphism that prevents the protein from locating on the cell surface. This genetic variation acts as a double-edge sword in the pathogenesis/defense mechanism of different health conditions, such as viral infections, autoimmune diseases, and cancers. Here, we evaluated the prevalence of the CCR5 Δ32 polymorphism in the Turkmen population of Golestan province, northeast of Iran. Blood samples were collected from 400 randomly selected Turkmen populations (199 women and 201 men), and genomic DNA was extracted. Characterization of CCR5 Δ32 genotypes was performed by PCR using primers flanking the 32-nucleotide deletion in the CCR5 gene. The amplified DNA fragments were visualized on 2% agarose gel electrophoresis with cybergreen staining under UV light. All individuals were of Turkmen ethnicity and lived in the Golestan province, northeast of Iran. The mean age of all participants was 35.46 years, with a 20-45 year range. All the studied subjects were healthy without any severe conditions such as autoimmune disease and viral infections. All individuals had no history of HIV infection. The PCR product visualization showed that all the samples are at the 330 bp size, which means the CCR5 Δ32 allele was utterly absent from the study population. The presence of the CCR5 Δ32 allele among Turkmens may be attributed to the admixture with European descent people. We conclude that the CCR5 Δ32 polymorphism may be absent in the Iranian Turkmen population, and further studies with a large population are needed.