Association between HLA-DRB1.2 Genotypic Diversity and Cervical Cancer  in Women Infected with the Human Papillomavirus

Somaye Sedaghat; Gholamreza Nikbakht Brujeni; Seyyed Ali Akbar Shamsian; Nakisa Sohrabi Haghdoost

doi:10.18502/ijaai.v24i5.19747

Somaye Sedaghat Department of Pathobiology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Gholamreza Nikbakht Brujeni Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Seyyed Ali Akbar Shamsian Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Nakisa Sohrabi Haghdoost Department of Pathobiology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijaai.v24i5.19747

Keywords: Cervical cancer; HLA-DRB1.2; HRM; MHC; Papillomavirus

Abstract

Cervical cancer is a significant public health concern, particularly in women infected with the human papillomavirus (HPV). Recent evidence suggests that host genetic factors, specifically those related to the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system, may also play a crucial role in determining susceptibility to cervical cancer in HPV-infected individuals.

In this study, 86 patients with HPV and 27 healthy donors were selected from May 2023 to February 2024. HLA-DRB1 genotypes were determined using polymerase chain reaction followed by high-resolution melting curve analysis (HRM). Genotype frequencies in patients were compared with those in the control group from donors.

Based on the HRM analysis, 10 genotypes were found in both patients and controls (profiles A-J). In the analysis of HLA-DRB1 genotypes, C, F, and I showed significant associations with HPV infection, indicating a possible protective effect against infection. Notably, genotype B was strongly linked to high-risk HPV, while genotype A was associated with low-risk HPV and is relevant to infection history. However, the remaining genotypes examined in the study did not exhibit significant associations with the analyzed parameters.

This study contributes valuable evidence regarding the role of HLA-DRB1 genotypes in cervical cancer susceptibility and highlights the potential clinical implications for risk assessment and targeted immunotherapies. The use of HRM for HLA typing offers advantages that are efficient, accurate, and scalable, making it suitable for large-scale studies and clinical applications.