High resolution human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I and class II allele typing in Mexican mestizo women with sporadic breast cancer: case-control study.
BACKGROUND
The development of breast cancer is multifactorial. Hormonal, environmental factors and genetic predisposition, among others, could interact in the presentation of breast carcinoma. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles play an important role in immunity (cellular immunity) and may be important genetic traits. HLAAllele-specific interaction has not been well established. Recently, several studies had been conducted in order to do so, but the results are controversial and in some instances contradictory.


METHODS
We designed a case-control study to quantify the association of HLA class I and II genes and breast cancer. HLA typing was performed by high resolution sequence-specific oligotyping after DNA amplification (PCR-SSOP) of 100 breast cancer Mexican mestizo patients and 99 matched healthy controls.


RESULTS
HLA-A frequencies that we were able to observe that there was no difference between both groups from the statistical viewpoint. HLA-B*1501 was found three times more common in the case group (OR, 3.714; p = 0.031). HLA-Cw is not a marker neither for risk, nor protection for the disease, because we did not find significant statistical differences between the two groups. DRB1*1301, which is expressed in seven cases and in only one control, observing an risk increase of up to seven times and DRB1*1602, which behaves similarly in being present solely in the cases (OR, 16.701; 95% CI, 0.947 - 294.670). DQ*0301-allele expression, which is much more common in the control group and could be protective for the presentation of the disease (OR, 0.078; 95% CI, 0.027-0.223, p = 0.00001).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results reveal the role of the MHC genes in the pathophysiology of breast cancer, suggesting that in the development of breast cancer exists a disorder of immune regulation. The triggering factor seems to be restricted to certain ethnic groups and certain geographical regions since the relevant MHC alleles are highly diverse. This is the first study in Mexican population where high resolutions HLA typing has been performed in order to try to establish an association with malignancy.
Cantú de León
David
D
Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología de México, Mexico City, Mexico. dcantude@yahoo.com
Pérez-Montiel
Delia
D
Villavicencio
Verónica
V
García Carranca
Alejandro
A
Mohar Betancourt
Alejandro
A
Acuña-Alonzo
Victor
V
López-Tello
Alberto
A
Vargas-Alarcón
Gilberto
G
Barquera
Rodrigo
R
Yu
Neng
N
Yunis
Edmond J
EJ
Granados
Julio
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006239:Haplotypes; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged
D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II