HLA DQ alleles and interleukin-10 polymorphism associated with Chlamydia trachomatis-related tubal factor infertility: a case-control study.
BACKGROUND
The relationship between Chlamydia trachomatis tubal factor infertility (TFI) and the host's immunoregulatory genes was studied.


METHODS
Cell-mediated immune responses to C. trachomatis and chlamydial heat shock protein (CHSP60) were determined by lymphocyte proliferation assay. HLA-DQ alleles and interleukin-10 (IL-10) promoter polymorphism (-1082 A/G) were analysed in 52 TFI cases and in 61 controls by PCR.


RESULTS
HLA-DQB1 or DQA1 alleles did not significantly differ between the TFI group and the control group. However, DQA1*0102 and DQB1*0602 alleles together with IL-10 -1082AA genotype were found significantly more frequently in the TFI patients than in the controls (0.18 and 0.02 respectively; P = 0.005). Five (22%) of the 23 patients who had a positive lymphocyte proliferative response to CHSP60 were positive also for IL-10 -1082AA and for the HLA-DQA1*0102 and HLA-DQB1*0602 alleles.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results reveal an association of a cellular immune response to CHSP60, HLA class II alleles and IL-10 promoter genotypes in patients with chlamydial TFI.
Kinnunen
A H
AH
National Public Health Institute, 90101 Oulu, Finland.
Surcel
H-M
HM
Lehtinen
M
M
Karhukorpi
J
J
Tiitinen
A
A
Halttunen
M
M
Bloigu
A
A
Morrison
R P
RP
Karttunen
R
R
Paavonen
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D000917:Antibody Formation; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000276:immunology; D005184:Fallopian Tube Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D059848:HLA-DQ alpha-Chains; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics
D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D059848:HLA-DQ alpha-Chains; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; C069050:HLA-DQA1 antigen; C069051:HLA-DQB1 antigen; D016753:Interleukin-10