HLA-DQA1 and -DQB1 Alleles as Risk Factors for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Aims The link between Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) susceptibility to Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) may reveal information about the development of leukemia in combination with other risk factors. This study aimed to compare the most frequent -DQA1 and -DQB1 alleles in ALL patients with healthy individuals. Materials & Methods In this case-control study conducted during 2020-2022, 50 children with ALL aged between 1-15 years and 50 sex and age-matched controls were investigated. Patients were diagnosed by a specialist physician in the Oncology Unit of Basrah Children’s Hospital, Iraq. Blood samples were collected from patients and controls for DNA extraction and further work with HLA-DQA1 and –DQB1 genotyping and sequencing. Findings Out of 50 patients with ALL, the highest percentage was B-ALL (92.0%) and the lowest percentage was T-ALL (8.0%). Two alleles of DQA1 including the 0201 allele and 040101 allele showed high frequency. One allele among HLA-DQA1 alleles appeared in IMTG/HLA as a new variant (03*new). Regarding DQB1, two alleles showed significant association with ALL but in the opposite way. The allele 030201 showed high frequency (33.33%) in controls, while 060301 indicated high frequency (20%) in ALL patients. Among the results of DQB1, two alleles showed new variants and were present in both patients and controls (03*new and 06*new). Conclusion By The HLA-DQA1 alleles (0201 and 03*new) and the HLA-DQB1 allele (060301) have a high frequency in ALL Patients. Also, new variants have appeared in all patients and controls during HLA-DQB1 typing (03*new and 06*new).