ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: CCR5 receptor exerts an important role in the host immune response. Osteomyelitis is an inflammatory process and Staphylococcus aureus is the principal causative agent of this bone injury complication. A deletion of 32bp (CCR5Δ32) in the CCR5 gene seems to protect against HIV-1, S.aureus and other infections. However, the CCR5Δ32 allele has been associated with an increased risk for other diseases. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the function of CCR5 and to gather data about the relationship of the CCR5Δ32 mutation and the risk of developing osteomyelitis as a complication in patients with bone traumas. METHODS: In a study of 153 patients with bone traumas the presence of the CCRΔ32 mutation was determined by PCR. RESULTS: In this study, the CCR5Δ32 allele was present only in the heterozygous form. Osteomyelitis was more frequent in the wild type carriers (94.87%; 37/39) and most of the CCR5Δ32 carriers (87.5%; 14/16) did not present with osteomyelitis. CONCLUSION: The CCR5Δ32 could be associated with protection against osteomyelitis caused by S. aureus, corroborating the data from Alonzo & Torres study, in which CCR5 receptor is required for S. aureus leukotoxin ED (LukED) cytotoxicity.
