HLA-G 14bp del/ins genetic variation: association with susceptibility to human immunodeficiency virus-1 vertical transmission but not with human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection through horizontal transmission.

We discuss herein the possible involvement of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G 14bp del/ins polymorphism in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Based on previous results and reports, we suggest that HLA-G should be considered, in the context of HIV-1 infection, as a candidate molecule for the susceptibility to HIV-1 mother-to-child transmission, rather than for HIV-1 horizontal transmission for which no consensus findings and hypothesis have been reported so far.