title: Human leukocyte antigen frequency in human high-grade gliomas: a case-control study in Sicily.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) are widely expressed cell surface molecules that present antigenic peptides to T lymphocytes and modulate immune response against inflammatory and malignant diseases. The aim of this study was to compare HLA distribution in patients with newly diagnosed high-grade gliomas (HGGs) and 2 control groups from a restricted geographic area (eastern Sicily).
  
  
  METHODS
  HLA allele frequency, as determined from peripheral blood of 56 adult patients with HGGs, was compared with that of 2 different control groups: 140 healthy bone marrow donors (group A) and 69 virtually brain tumor-free patients (group B). HLA expression was evaluated using a reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was significant expression of HLA-A*11 in patients with HGGs compared with control groups A and B (P < 0.003 and P < 0.018, respectively). Significant expression of HLA genotypes in patients with HGGs was also identified for HLA-DQB1*06 (P = 0.005), HLA-DRB1*14 (P = 0.001), and HLA-DRB3*01 (P = 0.007) compared with control group B. In HGG patients, there was statistically significantly decreased expression, compared with control groups A and B, of HLA-B*07 (P = 0.002 and P = 0.03, respectively) and HLA-C*04 (P = 0.007 and P = 0.016, respectively). There was statistically significant lower expression of HLA-C*05 in the HGG group compared with group B (P < 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study to describe the frequency of distribution of HLAs in a population from a restricted geographic area. The findings suggest a possible correlation between HLA allele distribution and the occurrence of newly diagnosed malignant astroglial brain tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: La Torre
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maugeri
authors.forename: Filippo F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Angileri
authors.forename: Gaetana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pezzino
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: Salvatore M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cardali
authors.forename: Amedeo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calisto
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sciarrone
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Misefari
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Germanò
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tomasello
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D005910:Glioma / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012802:Sicily / Q000208:ethnology
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens