Human leukocyte antigens among primary biliary cirrhosis patients born in Mexico

Abstract

Background and aim: Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a chronic cholestatic disease of autoimmune origin and has a genetic component. Although it has been reported that the prevalence of the HLA-DRB1*08 allele is high in various populations, the prevalence of HLA alleles in Mexican PBC patients has not been described. The aim of this study was to quantify the prevalence of HLA-B/-DR alleles in Mexican PBC patients.

Materials and methods: A case-control transversal study was performed during January and July 2008 with adult patients diagnosed with PBC. Cases were defined as subjects with PBC and controls were obtained from healthy subjects evaluated for bone marrow transplantation. Laboratory was performed at the moment of diagnosis. HLA-B/-DR allele frequency was obtained by gene counting and allele presence was determined by PCR-SSP procedure. Descriptive statistics between groups was evaluated by Chi-square with Yates correction.

Results: Nine patients (seven females and two males, mean +/- SD age = 57.5 +/- 10.5 years) were studied. The most prevalent alleles were HLA-DRB1*01 (n = 4), DRB1*04 (n = 4), B*39 (n = 34), B*14 (n = 3), and B*51 (n = 2). Linkage disequilibrium was detected for alleles HLA-B*39/DRB1*04 (n = 3), HLA-B*14/HLA-DRB1*01 (n = 2), and B*51-DRB1*04 (n = 1).

In conclusion: Mexican PBC patients express genes of native and Mediterranean origin.