Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Background: The Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) complex, which is a set of genes involved in the identification of foreign antigens and activation of the immune system, has been proposed as a possible cofactor in HPV infections. Objectives: The frequencies of HLA alleles and haplotypes in a cohort of Inuit women in Nunavik, Northern Quebec will be described as well as their association with HPV prevalence and cytological abnormalities. Methods: A cohort of Inuit women seeking routine care and living in four different communities of Nunavik was assembled. Cervical specimens were taken at each visit and tested for HPV-DNA. The HLA alleles were typed using DNA extracted from cervical samples taken at cohort entry using the PCR-SSP method. Using PGMY 09/11 primer set, HPV genotypes were classified by oncogenic potential as well as by alpha-papillomavirus species. Cytology was classified using the Bethesda system. Overall HPV prevalence was defined as testing positive for any HPV type, at any time over the study period. Odds ratios (OR) adjusted for age were calculated using unconditional logistic regression. Results: We obtained complete data on 515 women. Respectively 94.6% and 91.3% of the population had the HLA-DQB1*03 and HLA-E*0103 allele. Other common alleles in this population were HLA-E*0101 (55.5%), HLA-G*010101 (52.2%), HLA-G*010102 (28.7%), and HLA-G*010401 (57.7%). HLA-G*010102 (OR= 0.64, 95% CI 0.42-0.98) and HLA-DRB1*1501 (OR= 0.36, 95% CI 0.13-1.00) alleles were significantly associated with overall HPV prevalence. HLA-E*0101 was significantly associated with prevalence of either a Low or High Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions (LGSIL or HGSIL) (OR= 1.65, 95% CI 1.13-2.41). Further analysis on HPV incidence, persistence and multiple HPV infections will also be presented. Conclusion: The distribution of HLA alleles in Inuit women of Nunavik differs greatly from that observed in Caucasian and black populations.