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Human macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha (MIP-1α) is a chemotactic cytokine, which binds to macrophages, T cells, and B cells affecting their activation. We found novel polymorphisms at four sites within MIP-1α gene in Japanese population: C to T in exon 2; A to G in intron 2; C to G and A to G in exon 3. They occurred on the same allele. Although MIP-1α effectively suppresses the replication of HIV-1 in vitro, we observed no statistically significant difference in the allele frequency of this polymorphism between HIV-1-infected and uninfected individuals in Japanese population. Since an increased transcription level of MIP-1α has been reported to be associated with inflammatory diseases such as atopic dermatitis, we also investigated the frequency of these polymorphisms among patients with atopic dermatitis, HIV-1-infected individuals (with a normal IgE level), and healthy donors. A small increase in ratio of homozygotes to other genotypes was observed in patients with atopic dermatitis (P = 0.04). Genes and Immunity (2001) 2, 156–158. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]