Serological analysis of human leukocyte antigens-A and -B antigens in Thai patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE

To study the distribution of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) -A and -B antigens by standard microlymphocytotoxicity assay in Thai nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients compared to normal controls in order to identify the alleles associated with NPC in Thailand.

DESIGN

Retrospective-Analytical study.

SUBJECTS

Fifty-three unrelated Thai patients with histologically confirmed NPC diagnosed at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital and 70 healthy unrelated Thai individuals served as controls.

METHOD

Lymphocyte separation and HLA typing were performed from freshly drawn blood by standard microlymphocytotoxicity assay. The significance of differences between the two groups was analyzed by the chi-square test.

RESULTS

HLA-A2 was observed at a greater frequency in patients being found in 31/53 (58%) NPC patients compared to 27/70 (38%) controls (p = 0.02). An increase in HLA-B46 was also demonstrated. HLA-B46 was present in 16/53 (30%) NPC patients but was observed in 10/70 (14%) in controls (p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

This study reported two susceptible, HLA-A2 and HLA-B46 antigens, for NPC in a Thai population.