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

Abstract

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.