Association of HLA-DRB1 alleles with keloids in Chinese Han individuals

Keloids are common abnormal raised fibroproliferative lesions that can occur following even minor cutaneous trauma. There is strong evidence suggesting a genetic susceptibility in individuals affected by keloids including familial heritability, common occurrence in twins, and high prevalence in certain ethnic populations. Human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) have been proposed to modulate the immune response to keloids. HLA class II molecules are critical to the development of CD4(+) T-lymphocyte responses through their role in antigen presentation. No report has been published on HLA-DRB1 association with keloids in Chinese Han individuals. To investigate the etiology of keloids, the polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific primer method was used to analyze the distribution of HLA-DRB1 alleles in 192 patients with keloids and 273 healthy control individuals. Controls were matched by sex, age, and race. The HLA-DRB1*15 allele [19.01% vs 12.09%, odds ratio(OR) = 2.10, Pc = 0.024] was significantly more prevalent among keloid patients than healthy controls, whereas the frequency of the HLA-DRB1*03 allele (1.04% vs 4.95%, OR = 0.19, Pc = 0.022) was lower among keloid patients. Furthermore, through stratified analysis, we found that the HLA-DRB1*15 allele is related to the multiple-site group, severe group, and family history of keloids. This study supports an association between HLA-DRB1 alleles and susceptibility or resistance to keloids in Chinese Han individuals. The association of certain HLA alleles with susceptibility or resistance to keloids provides clues to choosing proper preventive strategies against keloid disease.