title: HLA-DRB1 Class II antigen level alleles are associated with persistent HPV infection in Mexican women; a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is a major risk factor for malignant lesions and cervical cancer. A widely studied element in the search for genetic factors influencing risk HPV infection diseases is allelic variation of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) locus. The study was designed to search for HLA susceptibility alleles contributing to the persistence of HPV infection in Mexican women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 172 subjects were divided into three groups: 1) HPV-persistent patients; 2) HPV-cleared; and 3) HPV-reinfected patients. They were screened for HPV types using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR-sequence specific oligonucleotide probes (PCR-SSOP) was used for HLA DRB1 and DQB1 typing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed that HLA-DQB1*0501 allele might be associated with susceptibility of reinfection with HPV (p = 0.01, OR = 4.9, CI 95% = 1.3 -18.7). Allele frequency of HLA-DRB1*14 was particularly reduced in patients with cancer when compared with the HPV-persistent group (p = 0.04), suggesting that this allele is a possible protective factor for the development of cervical cancer (OR = 2.98). HLA-DRB1*07 might be associated with viral clearance (p = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Genetic markers for HPV infection susceptibility are different in each population, in Mexicans several HLA-DQB1 alleles might be associated with an enhanced risk for viral persistence. In contrast, DRB1*14, seems to confer protection against cervical cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Av, Madero ote, s/n esq, Eduardo Aguirre Pequeño, Col, Mitras Centro, CP 64460, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. habarrera@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sofía
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bernal-Silva
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Granados
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gorodezky
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aláez
authors.forename: Hilario
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Flores-Aguilar
authors.forename: Ricardo M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Cerda-Flores
authors.forename: Geraldina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guerrero-González
authors.forename: Lezmes D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Valdez-Chapa
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morales-Casas
authors.forename: Juan Francisco
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: González-Guerrero
authors.forename: Hugo A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Barrera-Saldaña