Association between HLA-DQB1 alleles and HAM/TSP patients in Khorasan Province

Abstract

<em>Objective(s): </em>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. <br/><em>Materials and Methods:</em>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. <br/><em>Results:</em>There was a significant difference between HAM/TSP patients and healthy controls in the frequency of HLA-DQB1*07 (<em>P</em>=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. <br/><em>Conclusion</em><em>:</em> The data presented here suggest that both HLA-DQB1*07 and HLA-DQB1*06 are associated with disease development.