Abstract
Little is known about the factors associated with the natural humoral immune response against human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. The association between HLA-DRB1 and -DQB1 polymorphism and (1) HPV16 DNA detection, (2) naturally developed humoral immune response (IgG and IgM) against HPV16 L1 and L2 capsid proteins, and (3) type of HPV16 infection (transient or persistent) was investigated. Data from 943 women participating in the Ludwig-McGill cohort study was analyzed. HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 genotyping was done by PCR-based methods. HPV DNA was assessed every 4 months during the first year of follow-up, and HPV16 IgG and IgM antibody measurements were performed by ELISA in serum samples from the first and/or second visits. Associations were estimated by adjusted logistic regression models. HLA-DRB1*03:02 was associated with HPV16 DNA positivity (OR = 2.49, 95% CI: 1.11-5.60). HLA-DRB1*13:01 and HLA-DQB1*04:02 were associated with low levels of HPV16 IgG antibodies (OR = 0.44, 95% CI:0.23-0.87; OR = 0.10, 95% CI: 0.02-0.55, respectively). Neither IgM HPV16 antibodies nor the type of HPV16 infection (transient or persistent) were associated with HLA-DRB1 or -DQB1 variants. HLA-DRB1 and -DQB1 polymorphism might be associated with different levels of IgG against HPV16 infection, but IgM production and the type of infection seem to occur independently of these variants.