title: Associations between human leukocyte antigen homozygosity and antibody levels to measles vaccine.
abstract: The association between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) homozygosity and measles antibody levels was assessed in a volunteer group of 242 children. Serum samples were tested for measles IgG antibodies, class I and class II HLA alleles were typed, and associations were examined between HLA homozygosity and antibody levels. Children who were homozygous for at least 1 locus were twice as likely to be seronegative (odds ratio, 1.97; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-3.61). Children who were homozygous at >/=1 loci were increasingly likely to be seronegative (chi(2) test for trend; P=.02). When serum antibody levels were examined as continuous variables, children who were homozygous at certain loci tended to have lower mean antibody levels. These results suggest that lack of HLA diversity may limit the range of peptides that can be presented to antibody-producing cells, potentially resulting in a decreased immune response to viral infections.
authors.affiliation: Section of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Health Sciences Research, Vaccine Research Group, Mayo Clinic Rochester, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. ststauver.jennifer@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: St  Sauver
authors.forename: Inna G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Ovsyannikova
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Jacobson
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Jacobsen
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Vierkant
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Schaid
authors.forename: V Shane
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Pankratz
authors.forename: Erin M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Gregory A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Poland
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000483:Alleles; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008458:Measles Vaccine / Q000276:immunology*; D008459:Measles virus / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006680:HLA Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008458:Measles Vaccine