Association between HLA-DQB1 alleles and HAM/TSP patients in Khorasan Province.
OBJECTIVE
HTLVI-1 is the first human retrovirus with limited endemic regions in the world. The epidemiological studies have shown that the genetic background and immune response to the virus have a significant role in HTLV-I-associated diseases. Among the genes are involved in HTLV-I infection, the role of human leukocytes antigen (HLA) have been studied in different population. In the present study we examined the association between HLA-DQB1 alleles and HTLV-I infection in HAM/TSP patients, HTLV-I carriers and healthy controls in north east of Iran, Mashhad.


METHODS
The blood samples of 16 patients with HAM/TSP, 20 HTLV-1 carriers, and 30 healthy individuals were taken and DNA was extracted by salting out method. HLA-DQB1 typing was performed using PCR-SSP method and the frequency of HLA-DQB1 alleles were compared by Fischer Exact Test.


RESULTS
There was a significant difference between HAM/TSP patients and healthy controls in the frequency of HLA-DQB1*07 (P=0.004, RR=7). Furthermore, we found that possession of HLA- DQB1*02 or HLA-DQB1*05 increased the risk of disease 1.5 times.


CONCLUSIONS
The data presented here suggest that both HLA-DQB1*07 and HLA-DQB1*06 are associated with disease development.
Immunology Research Group, Bu-Ali Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Amir Reza
AR
Tafreshian
Neurology Department and HTLVI Foundation, Ghaem Medical Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Mehdi
M
Etemadi
Allergy Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Reza
R
Farid-Hosseini
Genetics Department School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Mansoor
M
Salhi
Immunology Research Group, Bu-Ali Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Jalil Tavakkol
JT
Afshari
HAM/TSP; HLA; HLA-DQB1; HTLV-1; PCR-SSP