HLA and susceptibility to cervical neoplasia

The association between cervical neoplasia and certain HLA phenotypes obser ved in different studies has not been consistent. By serological typing, th e association between HLA antigens, cervical carcinoma and cervical intraep ithelial neoplasia (CIN) was studied in a group of 172 and 116 patients, re spectively. We demonstrated an increased frequency of B63 in patients with HPV types other than HPV 16 or 18, and B55 in patients that were negative f or all HPV types. The association between cervical carcinoma and DQ3, descr ibed in various populations, was not observed in the present study. However , we confirmed other previously observed associations between cervical canc er and class II antigens, i.e., a positive correlation with DR15 irrespecti ve of the HPV status, with DR3 in patients harboring HPV types other than H PV 16 or 18, and with DR11 among HPV 16 positive patients. In contrast, a n egative correlation between DR13 and HPV positive cervical cancer was obser ved which suggests protection of this antigen against HPV-associated cervic al cancer. A slight increase of DR15 and DQ4 antigens was observed in CIN p atients, suggesting that these specific HLA antigens may be important in de termining the risk of GIN. Human Immunology 60, 337-342 (1999). (C) America n Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics, 1999. Published by Els evier Science Inc.