The polymorphisms of human leukocyte antigen loci may contribute to the susceptibility and severity of severe aplastic anemia in Chinese patients

Association of Human Leukocyte Antigen DRB1*15 and DRB1*15:01 Polymorphisms with Response to Immunosuppressive Therapy in Patients with Aplastic Anemia: A Meta-Analysis

“…Of the six studies about the associations between HLA - DRB1*15 polymorphisms and AA and eight studies about the associations between HLA - DRB1*15 : 01 polymorphisms and AA, the majority indicated that HLA - DRB1*15 and HLA - DRB1*15 : 01 polymorphisms might be potential risk factors for AA [6–10, 14–15, 18–19, 24], but four studies indicated no association of HLA - DRB1 *15 and HLA - DRB1 *15:01 polymorphisms with AA [5–6, 12–13,16]. The pooled results of the meta-analysis were consistent with most studies, which indicated HLA - DRB1 *15 and HLA - DRB1 *15:01 polymorphisms as potential risk factors for AA ( OR = 2.24, 2.50, respectively; Figs 2 and 3).…”

Associations between the HLA-A/B/DRB1 polymorphisms and aplastic anemia: evidence from 17 case–control studies

“…Aplastic anemia (AA) is a hematological disease with the characteristics of pancytopenia in peripheral blood and hypoplasia in bone marrows [1,2]. The incidence rates in Europe and the United States are 0.8 and 1.5 new cases per million, respectively, two or three times that in Asia [3][4][5].…”

“…The incidence rates in Europe and the United States are 0.8 and 1.5 new cases per million, respectively, two or three times that in Asia [3][4][5]. The etiology is unclear, but many studies have reported that genetic and environmental factors were the crucial determinants of susceptibility to AA [1,2,6]. Meanwhile, some studies have indicated that genetic components of the immune response and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system have a positive correlation in different ethnic groups in particular [7,8].…”

Why is the incidence of aplastic anemia higher in Asia?

“…It has been found that there is a significant increase in the frequency of several HLA types in the Asian AA patients which were not observed in the white/mixed AA patients. A study from Tianjin showed that certain types of HLA loci contributed to the susceptibility and severity of AA in China [12]. Also, some AA patients have polymorphisms which are linked to high production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interferon (IFN)-gamma [13].…”

“…Also, some AA patients have polymorphisms which are linked to high production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interferon (IFN)-gamma [13]. Homozygosity for [12] CA repeats in the first intron of the IFN-gamma gene is strongly associated with the risk of AA in Caucasian subjects [14]. It should be done to study the frequency of this genotype in Asian population.…”