IL7RA rs6897932 Polymorphism Is Associated with Better CD4(+) T-Cell Recovery in HIV Infected Patients Starting Combination Antiretroviral Therapy

Interleukin-7 receptor subunit alpha (IL7RA) rs6897932 polymorphism IS related to CD4(+) recovery after combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), but no studies so far have analyzed its potential impact in patients with very low CD4(+) T-cells count. We aimed to analyze the association between IL7RA rs6897932 polymorphism and CD4(+) T-cells count restoration in HIV-infected patients starting combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) with CD4(+) T-cells count <200 cells/mm(3). We performed a retrospective study in 411 patients followed for 24 months with a DNA sample available for genotyping. The change in CD4(+) T-cells count during the follow-up was considered as the primary outcome. The rs6897932 polymorphism had a minimum allele frequency (MAF) >20% and was in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (p = 0.550). Of 411 patients, 256 carried the CC genotype, while 155 had the CT/TT genotype. The CT/TT genotype was associated with a higher slope of CD4(+) T-cells recovery (arithmetic mean ratio; AMR = 1.16; p = 0.016), higher CD4(+) T-cells increase (AMR = 1.19; p = 0.004), and higher CD4(+) T-cells count at the end of follow-up (AMR = 1.13; p = 0.006). Besides, rs6897932 CT/TT was related to a higher odds of having a value of CD4(+) T-cells at the end of follow-up ≥500 CD4(+) cells/mm(3) (OR = 2.44; p = 0.006). After multiple testing correction (Benjamini–Hochberg), only the increase of ≥ 400 CD4(+) cells/mm(3) lost statistical significance (p = 0.052). IL7RA rs6897932 CT/TT genotype was related to a better CD4(+) T-cells recovery and it could be used to improve the management of HIV-infected patients starting cART with CD4(+) T-cells count <200 cells/mm(3).