Does minor histocompatibility antigen HA-1 disparity affect the occurrence of graft-versus-host disease in tunisian recipients of hematopoietic stem cells?
BACKGROUND
Minor histocompatibility antigen HA-1 (MiHAg-HA-1) disparity between a patient and his or her human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genoidentical donor has been widely associated with an increased risk of graft-versus-host disease following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the effect of HA-1 disparity on the incidence of both acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease in Tunisian recipients of hematopoietic stem cells.


METHODS
A total of 60 patients and their 60 respective sibling hematopoietic stem cell donors were enrolled in this study. All patients prophylactically received cyclosporine A and/or methotrexate for graft-versus-host disease. An HA-1 genotyping assay was performed with the SSP-PCR method, and HLA-A*0201- and/or HLA-A*0206-positive samples were identified using the Luminex HLA typing method.


RESULTS
The Luminex HLA typing assay showed that 54 patients were positive for either the HLA-A*0201 or HLA-A*0206 alleles. Among these cases, six pairs were mismatched for MiHAg-HA-1. Both acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease occurred in four mismatched patients (Fisher's p-values were 0.044 and 0.170, respectively). A univariate logistic regression model analysis showed that only acute graft-versus-host disease may be affected by recipient MiHAg-HA-1 disparity (p: 0.041, OR: 6.727), while chronic graft-versus-host disease correlates with both age and recipient/donor sex mismatch (p: 0.014, OR: 8.556 and p: 0.033, OR: 8.664, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings support previously reported data suggesting a significant association between HA-1 disparity and the risk of acute graft-versus-host disease following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
HLA-Typing Department, National Blood Transfusion Centre of Tunis, Tunisia.
Mohamed Hichem
MH
Sellami
Lamia
L
Torjemane
Alejandro Espadas de
AE
Arias
Houda
H
Kaabi
Saloua
S
Ladeb
Francesca
F
Poli
Tarek Ben
TB
Othmane
Slama
S
Hmida
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014416:Tunisia; D055815:Young Adult
C110615:HA-1 antigen; D006680:HLA Antigens; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens; D009842:Oligopeptides
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