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Case Reports
. 2022 Feb 11;10(2):280.
doi: 10.3390/vaccines10020280.

Significance of HLA Haplotypes in Two Patients with Subacute Thyroiditis Triggered by mRNA-Based COVID-19 Vaccine

Magdalena Stasiak  1 , Katarzyna Zawadzka-Starczewska  1 , Andrzej Lewiński  1   2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Significance of HLA Haplotypes in Two Patients with Subacute Thyroiditis Triggered by mRNA-Based COVID-19 Vaccine

Magdalena Stasiak et al. Vaccines (Basel). .

Abstract

Subacute thyroiditis (SAT) can be triggered by several viral factors in genetically predisposed individuals. In the case of COVID-19, SAT can be induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection as well as COVID-19 vaccination. The aim of this study was to present two cases of SAT triggered by mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines, with special attention paid to the possible significance of HLA-related SAT susceptibility. In our patients, a strong similarity of HLA profiles with regard not only to SAT high-risk alleles but also to other SAT-unrelated ones was observed. The rare phenomenon of SAT occurrence after COVID-19 vaccination can be HLA-dependent and related to a co-presence of HLA-B*35:03 and -C*04:01. Taking into account the similarity of HLA profiles in both our patients, the co-presence of other alleles, such as HLA-A*03:01, -DQA1:01, DQB1*05:01 as well as some of HLA-DRB1, can also play a role. This hypothesis is strongly consistent with autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA) being the postulated mechanism of this post-vaccine reaction, as ASIA-related immune reactions are directly associated with HLA-based genetic susceptibility. Further research is necessary to confirm these findings.

Keywords: COVID-19 vaccine; HLA; SARS-CoV-2; subacute thyroiditis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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