Pharmacogenetic information derived from analysis of HLA alleles

Abstract

A large amount of pharmacogenetic information has, in particular, accumulated on the association between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles and hypersensitivity to certain drugs. Prospective HLA typing has dramatically reduced the risk of abacavir hypersensitivity because of its strong association with HLA-B*5701. Significant predisposition to nevirapine hypersensitivity has been reported in Caucasian Australians harboring HLA-DRB1*0101 with high CD4+ T-cell counts, and Sardinians and Japanese harboring HLA-Cw8. A strong association between carbamazepine hypersensitivity and HLA-B*1502 has been reported in Han Chinese. Most Han Chinese individuals with allopurinol-induced severe cutaneous adverse reactions are positive for HLA-B*5801. HLA typing can stratify risk of hypersensitivity to certain drugs and allow personalized treatment, although the patients should be monitored closely even if they are negative for HLA alleles associated with hypersensitivity.