HLA Antigens in patients with severe preeclampsia

Abstract

The distribution of human leucocyte antigens (HLA) was analyzed in 35 patients with severe preeclampsia and compared with that in the general population in the Niigata district of Japan. The frequency of patients with HLA CW7 was significantly higher than that of the general population of this area (p < 0.05, Chi-square test). The frequency of those with HLA-DR6 (DR6, DR13 and DR14) was also significantly greater compared with the general population (P < 0.05, Chi-square test), while that of those with DR4 was significantly lower (P < 0.05, Chi-square test). The compatibility of HLA antigens in spouses was also analyzed in 20 patient couples and 26 normal fertile couples, and there was no significant difference. Thus it is suggested that HLA antigen systems might be involved in the genesis of preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia: A Multifactorial Disease Resulting from the Interaction of the Feto‐maternal HLA Genotype and HCMV Infection

“…The increase of the DRB1*06, DRB1*07 and DQA1*0201 alleles among preeclamptic mothers and neonates here tested, agrees with results reported in Japanese 20 USA 6 and Kuwait 25 preeclamptic mothers, respectively. Our data show now the possible important contribution of the fetal genotype to increase the risk of the disease, as previously suggested 26 …”

“…As the HLA system is crucial for the production and orientation of the immune response we have tested a possible association of HLA with the disease, studying class 1 and 2 alleles in mother and neonates of preeclamptic and controls. No significant frequency differences have been found in HLA‐A alleles, confirming results reported previously by other authors 20 , 21 . In contrast to the increment of HLA‐A*23/29 observed among patients from Alabama 6 our data show a non‐statistically significant increased frequency of A*24 only among neonates from preeclamptic mothers.…”