HLA DR-DQ ASSOCIATIONS WITH CERVICAL-CARCINOMA SHOW PAPILLOMAVIRUS-TYPE SPECIFICITY

Cervical carcinoma is now known to be associated with human papillomav iruses (HPV), but the evidence for a link with specific HLA loci is co ntroversial. The role of genetic variation at the HLA class II loci an d among HPV types in cervical carcinoma was investigated by PCR DNA am plification and oligonucleotide probe typing of paraffin-embedded inva sive cervical cancer tissue from Hispanic patients and of cervical swa bs from Hispanic controls. Certain HLA class II haplotypes (such as DR B1()1501-DQB1(*)0602) were associated significantly, while DR13 haplo types were negatively associated with cervical carcinoma. These associ ations are HPV16-type specific. These results suggest that specific HL A class II haplotypes may influence the immune response to specific HP V-encoded epitopes and affect the risk of cervical neoplasia.