HPV-16 and HLA-DRB1 Alleles Are Associated with Cervical Carcinoma in Mexican Mestizo Women

Abstract The aim of this report was to investigate the contribution of HLA-DRB1/DQB1 alleles to the expression of cervical cancer (CC) and squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL) in Mexican patients. A total of 257 women were included in the study: 61with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL), 30 with high-grade (HSIL), 73 with CC and 93 healthy females. All were Mexican Mestizos. For HLA class II typing, PCR-SSOP methodology was used. HPV-16 viral DNA was detected by PCR with specific primers for E6-E7 region. HPV-16 was found in 52% of the patients with CC as well as in 19% of women with HSIL and in 12.5% of females with LSIL. HLA-DRB1 ∗04:03 (OR = 5.88) was found increased in patients with HSIL as compared with controls, although significance ( p  = 0.04) was lost after correction (pc = NS ). HLA-DRB1 ∗04:03 seems to influence the risk for developing HSIL, disregarding the presence of HPV-16. HLA-DRB1 ∗01:01 (OR = 0.12; p  = 0.01) may confer protection to the development of CC. An analysis performed stratifying by the presence of HPV-16 infection showed that the frequency of HLA-DRB1 ∗04:07 (OR = 2.71) was increased in CC patients infected with HPV-16, confirming that the HLA association is HPV dependent. These results shed light on the influence that this virus may have in the expression of CC in the susceptible host. Genetic background is, therefore, a crucial factor in understanding the etiopathogenesis of CC in HPV-positive patients.