HLA-C*18:01: A Rare Allele in the European Caucasian Population Coinciding with Difficult-to-Treat Plaque Psoriasis.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Advances in knowledge about the metabolic pathways involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis and related diseases have led to a search for new therapeutic targets and the development of new biological drugs. Several studies have focused on HLA-C*06 and investigated correlations between the genetic risk factors of psoriasis and clinical parameters such as the severity of the disease and the response to treatment.

OBJECTIVE:

Our objective is to share experience from our institution in the observation of two patients with severe chronic plaque psoriasis who were unresponsive to any anti-TNF-α treatment and only partially responsive to ustekinumab. The patients are carriers of a rare allele of HLA-C that occurs in Caucasians.

METHODS:

The patients with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis, and candidates for biological therapy were typed for the HLA-C locus at high resolution via polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes (PCR-SSOP) using a commercial kit (LAB(®)Type, One Lambda Inc., Canoga Park, CA, USA). The socio-demographic variables and clinical data were collected.

RESULTS:

In our cohort of 134 patients, only two showed the presence of the allele HLA-C*18:01. To our knowledge, a coincidence between HLA-C*18 and severe psoriasis in Caucasian patients has not previously been described. The fact that both of these patients showed the same clinical history (unresponsive to any anti-TNF-α treatment and partially responsive to ustekinumab) cannot be attributed to a random observation because HLA-C*18 is extremely rare in Europe. As a consequence, at this latitude, it probably indicates a severe disease for which the proper therapy has still not been identified.

• Authors: M Galluzzo, M Andreani, M Testi, S Chimenti, M Talamonti
• Journal: Molecular diagnosis & therapy (Mol Diagn Ther) Vol. 20 Issue 3 Pg. 227-30 (06 2016) ISSN: 1179-2000 [Electronic] New Zealand
• PMID: 27038214 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• HLA-C Antigens
• Immunosuppressive Agents

Topics

• Adult
• Alleles
• Antibodies, Monoclonal (therapeutic use)
• Drug Resistance
• Gene Frequency
• Genotype
• HLA-C Antigens (genetics)
• Humans
• Immunosuppressive Agents (therapeutic use)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Psoriasis (diagnosis, drug therapy, genetics)
• Retrospective Studies
• Severity of Illness Index
• Skin (pathology)
• White People (genetics)