Cerebral cavernomas and human leukocyte antigens: preliminary clinical results.
BACKGROUND
Although cavernomas are the most common brain vascular malformations, the etiology and risk factor(s) are still not entirely known. Recent publications focusing on the molecular basis suggest that genetic factors may play a role in the development of the brain vascular malformations. We aimed to show HLA typing in brain cavernoma in a group of Turkish patients.


METHODS
This study compared HLA types of 30 patients who had brain cavernoma with 30 healthy controls.


RESULTS
The analysis of HLA distribution in the patients, compared with healthy control data, revealed some statistically significant differences, even after the more rigid Bonferoni correction (P(c)). In the patients group, the frequency of following HLA antigens was significantly increased compared with the control group: HLA-A1 (P(c): .005), HLA-A24 (P(c): .02), HLA-A32 (P(c): .01), HLA-B51 (P(c): .00001), HLA-DR1 (P(c): .02), and HLA-DR4 (P(c): .004).


CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary data suggest that brain cavernoma susceptibility may be associated with HLA antigens. Further studies should be designed to include a larger population of patients with brain cavernoma in order to expose whether there is association between HLA typing and occurrence of cavernoma more accurately.
Department of Neurosurgery, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34301, Turkey.
Galip Zihni
GZ
Sanus
Hakan
H
Hanimoglu
Taner
T
Tanriverdi
Erkan
E
Yilmaz
Halil
H
Ak
Mustafa Onur
MO
Ulu
Ali Metin
AM
Kafadar
Bulent
B
Canbaz
Mehmet Yasar
MY
Kaynar
D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D015234:HLA-A Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D015235:HLA-B Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D020786:Hemangioma, Cavernous, Central Nervous System / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014421:Turkey
D015234:HLA-A Antigens; D015235:HLA-B Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens