On a possible protective effect of HLA-A11 against skin cancer and keratotic skin lesions in renal transplant recipients.
Renal transplant recipients who have skin cancer potentially related to human papillomavirus were HLA typed with a special focus on HLA-A11, which in nonimmunosuppressed patients is negatively associated with the occurrence of virus-related carcinoma of the cervix. We found also a negative association between HLA-A11 and skin cancer; none of the 66 transplant recipients with skin cancer were positive for HLA-A11. As HLA-A11 seems to have a protective effect against skin cancer, we speculate that antigens induced by squamous cell carcinomas and possibly also by human papillomavirus may be efficiently presented through HLA-A11 to cytotoxic T cells. We also investigated a possible influence of other HLA alleles on the susceptibility of renal transplant recipients to skin cancer. The frequency of HLA-B27 was significantly higher in the transplant recipients with skin cancer, with a relative risk of 3.4 relative to healthy controls. No significant differences were found for other HLA class I or class II antigens.
Bouwes Bavinck
J N
JN
Department of Dermatology, University Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Kootte
A M
AM
Van Der Woude
F J
FJ
Vandenbroucke
J P
JP
Vermeer
B J
BJ
Claas
F H
FH
D000483:Alleles; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D015234:HLA-A Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D059870:HLA-A11 Antigen; D006801:Humans; D007642:Keratosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D027383:Papillomaviridae; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology
D015234:HLA-A Antigens; D059870:HLA-A11 Antigen