The Relationship of HLA-DQ Alleles with Tuberculosis Risk: A Meta-analysis

The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system plays an important role in regulating immune response because it takes part in the defense against pathogens. Some individual research studies have demonstrated that HLA class II genes play an important role in tuberculosis (TB) in several populations. However, the results were controversial. A meta-analysis was performed to examine the associations between HLA alleles and TB risk.

Relevant studies on the association of HLA-DQA1 and DQB1 alleles with TB were included in the analyses. We examined papers published in the PubMed and EMBASE databases up to June 10, 2014. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were analyzed from fixed-effects or random-effects models. Subgroup analyses were conducted by ethnicity.

This meta-analysis included 12 studies with DQB1 (1290 TB patients and 1471 controls) and 6 studies with DQA1 (453 TB patients and 648 controls). Only DQB1*0601 was found to have a significant association with an increased risk for TB [OR (95 % CI) = 1.68 (1.32-2.14), P = 0.000]. No significant association with TB risk was found in any HLA-DQA1 allele or in other HLA-DQB1 alleles. DQB1*0601 was significantly related to an increased risk of TB in Asian group, whereas no evidence was found in the non-Asian group.

Our meta-analysis supports the hypothesis that the specific HLA-DQB1 may be regarded as a marker of real worth for predicting the risk of developing TB. The same result was shown in Asian population.