HLA allele associations in idiopathic recurrent spontaneous abortion patients from India

• Main Authors: U Shankarkumar, A Pawar, P Gaonkar, D Parasannavar, V Salvi, K Ghosh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2008-01-01
• Series: Journal of Human Reproductive Sciences
• Subjects: CwFNx01120201; DQB1FNx01050301 association; HLA BFNx015701; India; RSA
• Online Access: http://www.jhrsonline.org/article.asp?issn=0974-1208;year=2008;volume=1;issue=1;spage=19;epage=24;aulast=Shankarkumar
• ISSN: 0974-1208; 1998-4766

Background : Rejection of semiallogenic foetus in recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) has been postulated to be a consequence of genetic and immunological phenomena. Aim: To evaluate the role of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles in RSA in Indian couples. Settings and Design : A case-control study. Materials and Methods : Eighty-one randomly selected couples with unexplained three or more RSAs and a control group of 97 couples with live birth belonging to the same ethnic background, referred to the Gynaecology Department, KEM Hospital were included in the case-control study. Serological HLA A and B typing was done followed by molecular subtypes, defined using PCR-SSOP technique for HLA A, B, and C in 40 couples and DRB1FNx01 and DQB1FNx01 in 28 couples which were then compared with appropriate case 46 and 88 controls. Results : Serologically A3 (15.43% vs . 4.43%; odds ratio (OR) = 4.34; P = 0.0002) and B17 (25.3% vs . 11.34%; OR = 3.49; P = 0.0001) were increased. Haplotype A1-B17 was significantly increased. Molecular subtyping revealed that AFNx01030102 (11.25% vs . 4.34%; OR = 3.00; P = 0.07), BFNx015701 (11.25% vs . 1.08%; OR = 13.10; P = 0.003), CwFNx01120201 (25% vs . 4.34%; OR = 10.50; P = 2.05E-05), HLA DRB1FNx01030101 (17.85% vs . 3.40%; OR = 7.6; P = 0.0001), DRB1FNx01150101 (32.14% vs . 13.63%; OR = 4.8; P = 0.0003), and DQB1FNx01060101 (35.71% vs . 29.34%; OR = 2.3; P = 0.004) were significantly increased in patients. A differential association was noticed when compared with reported world RSA patients. Conclusion: The HLA alleles AFNx01030101, BFNx015701, CwFNx01120201, DRB1FNx01030101, and DRB1FNx01150101 as well as their associated ancestral haplotype may play a significant role in development of RSA in India.