New research hotspots of HLA

Over a long period of time, biological questions and clinical problems have been the essential motivating factors that arouse great interest in HLA and promote the enormous efforts to research HLA. The new research trends of HLA initiated by the preceding workshops of the coming 13th International Histocompatibility Workshop and Conference(IHWC), the symposium of the 12th European Histocompatibility Conference as well as the related articles were reviewed. The development and the application of DNA-based typing for HLA class I genes have been emphasized. These efforts to analyze multiple polymorphic genes are important not only for the furthurance of understanding the immunobiology of HLA, but also for the development of model systems that will be useful in future population-based epidemiological studies aimed at polygenic diseases such as cancer. Moreover, HLA molecules are broadly specific peptide receptors governig most specific immune responses in humans. A detailed understanding of their function should be an important step towards the development of a rational strategy for immune manipulations (e.g. vaccines).