Abstract
Delta 32 CCR5 mutant allele of the chemokine receptor CCR5 prevents HIV transmission. In addition, stem cell transplantation of HIV patients with the delta 32 CCR5 mutated gene cured HIV infection. Our aim was to investigate the prevalence of delta 32 CCR5 mutation in the Saudi population specifically in our cord blood bank units. High prevalence of delta 32 CCR5 will encourage us to add this as a routine test to our donated samples.
A total of 400 samples were collected from healthy cord blood donor units. DNA was extracted and the CCR5 gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a light cycler system using SYBRGreen dye. The mutated gene was confirmed by direct sequencing.
We found only one cord unit with a homozygous CCR5 mutation (delta 32/ delta 32) out of the 400 tested samples.
We conclude that the protective delta 32 CCR5 allele is rarely present in Saudi Arabia. Due to the low frequency we will not include this as a routine test. Further studies are planned to further investigate the family tree in which we found the mutated gene.