Relation between skin cancer and HLA antigens in renal-transplant recipients

Article Abstract:

The major histocompatibility complex is a large complex of genes first discovered for the critical role it plays in determining the tolerance or rejection of transplanted tissues. The proteins defined by these genes are called the human leukocyte antigens, or HLA antigens. These antigens are now grouped as Class I antigens which include HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-C, and the Class II antigens which include the HLA-DR, HLA-DQ, and HLA-DP antigens. It is now appreciated that these antigens play a critical role in many responses of the immune system, not just transplant rejection. The HLA antigens also play a role in determining the susceptibility to some forms of cancer. A study was undertaken to evaluate the role of the HLA antigens in the development of skin cancer among kidney transplant recipients. These patients are at increased risk for skin cancer, and often the skin cancer they develop is of an especially aggressive character. This may be due to the immunosuppressive drugs given to transplant patients or to long-term stimulation of the immune system by an imperfectly matched graft. In a study of 764 kidney transplant recipients over a period exceeding 20 years, 66 patients were found to have developed skin cancer. When these patients were compared with 124 patients who did not develop skin cancer, several trends were found. Patients whose kidneys were not matched for HLA-B antigens had increased risk of cancer. If both HLA-B antigens of the donated kidney failed to match both HLA-B antigens of the patient, the risk of skin cancer was five times normal. For patients with only one mismatched B antigen, the risk was 2.6 times normal. Mismatches on HLA-A and HLA-DR antigens had no effect on the risk of skin cancer. It was also found that patients who inherited the same HLA-DR antigen from both their parents had 2.5 times the risk of patients who inherited different HLA-DR antigens from each parent. Most of the skin cancers developed on parts of the body exposed to sunlight, and exposure to the sun was a significant risk factor for skin cancer in these patients, as it is for others as well. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Health aspects, Cases, Risk factors, Physiological aspects, Skin cancer, Antigen-antibody reactions, Ir genes

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Major histocompatibility-complex class I alleles and antigens in hematopoietic-cell transplantation

Article Abstract:

Organ transplant recipients who received a donated organ from a person with an HLA allele mismatch have a lower risk of graft rejection than those whose organ comes from a person with an HLA antigen mismatch. Although both conditions are a mismatch between donor and recipient, an HLA allele mismatch is a relatively minor mismatch compared to an HLA antigen mismatch.

Research, Graft rejection, Transplantation immunology

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