Some but not all of HLA-II alleles are associated with cervical cancer in Chinese women

Cervical cancer (CC) is closely associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV). Although most patients are able to clear the infection over time, some eventually develop cancer, suggesting the existence of other factors that determine malignant progression. Such factors may include genetic susceptibility. To determine whether human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II is related to CC among Han race population in the Guangdong region of China, HLA class II typing were carried out by polymerase chain reaction in 126 patients with CC and 88 selected controls. The allele and haplotype frequencies in both the study and control groups were calculated. The occurrence of DPB1∗1301 [odds ratio (OR), 2.66; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.12–6.29], DPB1∗0202 (OR, 3.65; CI, 1.04–12.80), DQB1∗030302(OR, 1.85; CI, 1.04–3.27), and DQB1∗050301(OR, 3.94; CI, 1.48–10.46) alleles were more common in the study group than control. This suggests that these alleles may confer susceptibility to CC in the Guangdong Province. In a similar fashion, the occurrence of DRB1∗13–DQB1∗06 (OR, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.04–0.80) haplotype was significantly lower in the study patients compared with the controls and may confer a decreased risk of CC among Han race population in the Guangdong Province of China.