HIV/AIDS…More of a Black Issue than you Thought

As I am studying for my BioChemistry and Cell Biology Exam, I stumbled across an interesting sidenote in some extra reading I was doing (yes, I do extra reading…yes, I’m a nerd…I embrace it). I will attempt to summarize the findings as simply as possible, so bear with me.

Roughly 900 years ago, the Black Plague hit Europe, killing roughly 1/3 of its population. Most who survived The Plague survived due to an advantageous mutation in their alleles of the gene producing CCR-5. What is CCR-5? CCR-5 is the name of part of a macrophage, which are the part of our body’s immune system that eats invading viruses and bacteria.

Normally, exposure to HIV results in the CCR-5 producing macrophage to be “hijacked” by the virus and used against the host to propagate infection. However, in its mutated form, CCR-5 is strong enough to basically beast the virus and devour it. In other words, if one is homozygous for this mutant allele (i.e. carry two copies of the mutated gene), they are immune to HIV/AIDS. Those heterozygous for it (i.e. carry only one copy of the mutated gene) still have some protection from the virus. But, those that have no copies for the mutation are fully susceptible to HIV infection.

It appears as though the mutated form of this allele originated in the general area of Sweden, and extended to most of North Western Europe. This mutation seems to have occurred well before The Plague hit, meaning that when it swept through Europe, it more or less eliminated those without the defect, leaving a large percentage of the population carrying those mutated alleles.

Through gene editing, scientists are working on a way to confer this immunity to everyone. Now, don’t get your hopes up too quickly. As you may or may not know, there is much we still don’t know about gene interactions, and it is more or less and trail-and-error method being used…meaning, the solution could come tomorrow or in 10 years, but it does seem that it is out there.

Surprised? I know I still am. But, wait…it doesn’t stop here...

Not only do many White people have a mutation that gives them an advantage, but Blacks have one that gives them a disadvantage. I kid you not (you know, at times like these, it feels like sometimes you just can’t win). The mutation originally was beneficial, as it kept Africans immune to malaria. However, it now renders people of African descent 40% more likely to catch HIV. Apparently, the mutation’s benefit is that it slows progression of HIV, giving the infected individual a whole 2 years more of life…whoopty-doo, two more years to a shortened, disease-ridden life. Roughly 90% of Africans and 60% of African Americans carry the mutation...those are some high percentages.

Makes you rethink some things, right? Like…how heavily are all the HIV/AIDS statistics influenced by these findings? Are Blacks and Whites engaging in the same potentially dangerous behaviors at the same rates, but these mitigating factors are drastically skewing the results? Or even worse, are Whites participating in riskier sexual behavior (as has been suggested in the gay community), but just aren't reaping the consequences? Clearly, we can't just ignore the social factors that contribute to the statistics (such a poverty, inadequate health care, etc), however, certainly genetics play a major role. But what can you do? This genetic information is just more of a reason the Black community needs to practice safe sex or abstinence. Until this immunity to HIV is developed, all I can say is WRAP IT UP!