HLA class II alleles in Chinese patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Background/Aims: Recent reports of an association between human leucocyte a ntigens (HLA) and persistence of hepatitis B virus infection, and the famil ial clustering of hepatocellular carcinoma raise the question of genetic su sceptibility Previous studies have been limited to serological phenotyping of HLA B and DR antigens. The aim of this study was to use molecular genoty ping to investigate HLA class II as a risk factor for the development of he patocellular wt-cinema in Hong Kong Chinese. Methods. We determined HLA DRB 1, DQA1, DQB1 and DPB1 alleles in 123 hepatitis B surface antigen positive patients (84 with hepatocellular carcinoma and 39 without) and 124 matched controls. Results: The alleles DRB1*1501 (36% of HCC patients ver sus 19% o f controls, odds ratio = 2.44), DQA1*0.102 (42% versus 76%, odds ratio=2.07 ), and DPB1*0501 (80% versus 63%, odds rsttio-2.35) were significantly more common in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, and DQA1*03 (36% versus 56%, odds ratio=0.53), DQB1*0302 (4.% versus 13%, odds ratio=0.25) and DPB1 *0201 (14% versus 29%, odds ratio=0.4) were found at significantly lower fr equencies. Conclusions: Although none of these associations was significant after correction for multiple testing, this report suggests that further i nvestigations are warranted.