HLA-G 3' untranslated region polymorphisms influence the susceptibility for human papillomavirus infection

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G molecule acts as a potential factor for the regulation of immune responses and its expression in virus-infected cells may enable them to escape immunosurveillance. Besides its polymorphic promoter region, the 3' untranslated region (UTR) seems to play an important role in regulating HLA-G expression. In this study, we investigated the influence of HLA-G 14 bp (rs66554220) and +3142 (rs1063320) polymorphisms in 179 women with active human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and 143 age-matched, unrelated, HPV-negative, normal Chinese Han population. Our findings showed that frequency of the allele +3142 C [31.3% vs 44.4%, odds ratio (OR) = 0.57, Pc < 0.01] and the genotype +3142 CC (10.6% vs 21.7%, OR = 0.43, Pc = 0.012) was significantly decreased in HPV infected patients compared with normal controls. Furthermore, the haplotype -14 bp/C was associated with a reduced risk for HPV infection (OR = 0.57, Pc = 0.001). Our findings also showed that HLA-G homozygous +14 bp/+14 bp genotype was significantly associated with an increased risk for HPV18 infection (OR = 12.95, P < 0.01), whereas HLA-G heterozygous +14 bp/-14 bp genotype increased risk for HPV58 (OR = 5.55, P < 0.05). Furthermore, frequency of the haplotype +14 bp/G was significantly increased in HPV18 infected patients (60.0% vs 27.3%, OR = 4.00, Pc < 0.05). Taken together, our results supported a role of the HLA-G 3' UTR polymorphisms as a susceptible factor for the active HPV infection, and suggested a possible interference of the HLA-G molecule in the response to virus infection.