Associations between HLA-G gene polymorphisms and the susceptibility to high risk HPV type 18 infection

Abstract

Objective To investigate the associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms in the gene encoding human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) and the genetic susceptibility to high risk human papillomavirus (HPV) type 18 infection in the subjects from Taizhou, Zhejiang province. Methods The genetic polymorphisms of HLA-G gene (14 bp In/Del and + 3142C/G) in cervical samples collected from HPV 18-positive and healthy women were analyzed by PCR and gene sequencing technology. Statistical analysis was performed by using SPSS version 16.0. Chi-squared test was used to analyze the differences with HLA-G gene allele and genotype frequencies between healthy subjects and patients. Results Compared with healthy subjects, women with oncogenic HPV18 infection showed lower frequencies of -14 bp allele, -14 bp/-14 bp genotype and -14 bp/+ 3142C haplotype (P<0.05). Moreover, lower frequencies of + 3142C/C genotype were detected in HPV18-infected women with pathologically normal cervix (6.3% vs 21.1%, OR=0.25, P<0.05) and higher percentages of + 3142G/G genotype were detected in women with CIN2/3 stage HPV18 infection as compared with those of the control group (68.8% vs 35.1%, OR=4.06, P<0.05). Conclusion The HLA-G gene 3' UTR polymorphisms were closely associated with HPV18 infection and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Key words: HLA-G gene polymorphism; Linkage disequilibrium; Human papillomavirus; Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia