HLA-DQA1, HLA-DQB1, HLA-DRB1 in Korean Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis-by the polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific oligonucleotide probes (PCR-SSOP) method

Kim, Young Ree; Kim, Hee Jin; Cho, Yun Jung

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary tuberculosis is affected by environmental factors, such as hygiene, nutrition, and socioeconomic status. Recently it has also been shown to be correlated with specific HLA types in foreign countries, although the mechanism underlying this association remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and contribution of specific HLA alleles to pulmonary tuberculosis in Koreans.
METHODS
HLA alleles of 97 patients whose illness was diagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis by sputum acid-fast bacilli stain, culture, chest X-ray, and clinical evaluation at the Korean National Tuberculosis Association Department of Medical Operation were compared to those of 100 blood donors as controls. The polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific oligonucleotide probes (PCR-SSOP) method was used to define HLA-DQA1, HLA-DQB1, and HLA-DRB1 alleles.
RESULTS
Among the patients analyzed by PCR- SSOP for HLA-DQA1 alleles, 63.9% were typed as HLA-DQA1*01, 50.5% HLA-DQA1*03, 22.6% HLA- DQA1*05, 8.2% HLA-DQA1*02, 7.2% HLA-DQA1* 06, and 4.1% HLA-DQA1*04. No difference in the distribution of HLA-DQA1 alleles between patients and healthy controls could be found, with the exception of HLA-DQA1*04, which was more common among controls. Regarding HLA-DQB1 alleles among the patients, 60% were typed as HLA-DQB1*03, 45% HLA-DQB1*06, 21.3% HLA-DQB1*04, 18.8% HLA- DQB1*05, and 11.3% HLA-DQB1*02. The allele distribution of HLA-DQB1 was not significantly different between patients and controls. For HLA-DRB1 alleles, 29.5% were typed as HLA-DRB1*02, 27.4% HLA- DRB1*08, 25.3% HLA-DRB1*04, 23.2% HLA-DRB1* 09, 20% HLA-DRB1*12, and 12.6% HLA-DRB1*13. There was also no difference between patients and controls in the allele distribution of HLA-DRB1.
CONCLUSION
In Korea, where tuberculosis is relatively prevalent, pulmonary tuberculosis seems to be independent of HLA-DQA1, HLA-DQB1, and HLA- DRB1, although we found a statistically significant difference in HLA-DQA1*04 frequency between tuberculosis patients and controls.