CCR5 Δ32 and CTLA-4 +49 A/G Gene Polymorphisms and Interferon-β Treatment Response in Croatian and Slovenian Multiple Sclerosis Patients.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of CCR5 Δ32 and CTLA-4 polymorphisms on the response to IFN-β treatment in our cohort of MS patients from Croatia and Slovenia. Genomic DNA was obtained from 295 MS patients (230 female; 65 male) classified as responders ( = 173) and non-responders ( = 122) based on clinical criteria for treatment efficacy. Genotyping was performed via PCR/PCR-RFLP.

GiOPARK Project: The Genetic Study of Parkinson's Disease in the Croatian Population.

Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder that affects motor function, autonomic functions, and cognitive abilities. It is likely that both genetic and environmental factors, along with age, contribute to the cause. However, there is no comprehensive guideline for genetic testing for Parkinson's disease, and more research is needed to understand genetic variations in different populations.

Refining the Global Phylogeny of Mitochondrial N1a, X, and HV2 Haplogroups Based on Rare Mitogenomes from Croatian Isolates.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has been used for decades as a predominant tool in population genetics and as a valuable addition to forensic genetic research, owing to its unique maternal inheritance pattern that enables the tracing of individuals along the maternal lineage across numerous generations. The dynamic interplay between evolutionary forces, primarily genetic drift, bottlenecks, and the founder effect, can exert significant influence on genetic profiles. Consequently, the Adriatic islands have accumulated a subset of lineages that exhibits remarkable absence or rarity within other European populations.

Could the CCR5-Delta32 mutation be protective in SARS-CoV-2 infection?

Increasing evidence points to host genetics as a factor in COVID-19 prevalence and outcome. CCR5 is a receptor for proinflammatory chemokines that are involved in host responses, especially to viruses. The CCR5-delta32 minor allele is an interesting variant, given the role of CCR5 in some viral infections, particularly HIV-1.