HLA-DR-DQ alleles and HLA-DP alleles are independently associated with susceptibility to different stages of post-schistosomal hepatic fibrosis in the Chinese population.
Abstract: Evaluation of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I and class II genes was performed on patients from China with Schistosomiasis japonica. Patients were categorized as grade 0 (n=44), grade I (n=81), grade II (n=99), or grade III (n=6) based on increasing severity of hepatic fibrosis due to repeated Schistosoma japonicum infections. These results show that the HLA-DRB1*1101-DQA1*0501-DQB1*0301 (Pc<0.02) and HLA-DRB1*1501-DRB5*0101 (Pc<0.02) haplotypes are associated with protection and susceptibility to grade I fibrosis, respectively, and that the HLA-DPA1*0103 -DPB1*0201 haplotype (Pc<0.02) is associated with protection from both grade II and III severe fibrosis. There was no association between HLA-B DNA haplotypes and the disease. These findings indicate that the HLA-class II molecules play a role in preventing or promoting fibrotic liver change after deposition with Schistosome eggs. Moreover, a tendency was observed within the HLA class II genes for the HLA-DR-DQ alleles to be associated with protection against early changes in liver fibrosis, whereas HLA-DP alleles were associated with protection from the late phase of fibrosis or severe hepatosplenic schistosomiasis.
Hirayama
K
K
Department of Medical Zoology, Saitama Medical School, Moroyama, Japan. hiraken@saitama-med.ac.jp
Chen
H
H
Kikuchi
M
M
Yin
T
T
Gu
X
X
Liu
J
J
Zhang
S
S
Yuan
H
H
D000483:Alleles; D002681:China; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006682:HLA-DP Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics*; D012554:Schistosomiasis japonica / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics*; D014463:Ultrasonography
D006682:HLA-DP Antigens; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens