Molecular identification of the HLA-DRB1-DQB1 for diagnosis and follow-up of acute leukemias.

We analyzed a group of 45 Brazilian individuals, 30 with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), 15 with acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) and 100 healthy controls to assess genetic factor risk and HLA association contribution to the disease. Patient rates were compared with age and sex-matched control groups by directly typing the HLA-DRB1/3/4/5 and -DQB1 loci by PCR analysis. We observed significantly increased allelic distribution of HLA-DRB107 in AML patients and of HLA-DRB103 in ALL patients, which suggests that individuals in both groups are susceptible to the disease. We also found significantly decreased allelic distribution of HLA-DQB104 in AML patients and of HLA-DRB104 and -DQB103 in ALL patients, which suggests protection against the disease. We further found increased HLA-DRB107 and -DQB102 haplotypes in AML patients, which suggests susceptibility to the disease and decreased HLA-DRB104 and -DQB103 haplotypes in ALL patients, which also suggests protection against the disease. Future studies with larger and/or multicentric samples will be required for better comprehension of the HLA role in acute leukemia pathogenesis.