HLA TYPING IN HAIRY-CELL LEUKEMIA

In HCL patients some cases of familial occurrence of the disease were reported, without an association with a specific haplotype or HLA anti gen. In a series of a non familial HCL patients an increase in DR11 fr equency was reported. We performed HLA class I and class II antigens i n a series of 38 consecutive HCL patients. An increased frequency of B 17 (10/38-27%) and DR11 (22/38-57%) antigens compared with the normal Caucasian population was recorded. As clinical characteristics, no sig nificant differences were recognized between DR11 positive and DR11 ne gative patients. In response to IFN treatment, a complete response (CR ) was achieved in 20% of DR11 patients and in 46% of DR11 negative pat ients. In this study an increase frequency of B17 and DR11 antigens wa s found; furthermore DR11 positive patients seem to be less responsive to IFN treatment but a larger series of patients will have to be stud ied in the future in order to establish this observation with more cer tainty.