Analysis of HLA Alleles in Different Cohorts of Patients Infected by L. infantum from Southern Spain

Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Jul 27;25(15):8205. doi: 10.3390/ijms25158205.

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is an infectious disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania, which is endemic in certain areas of Europe, such as southern Spain. The disease manifests in various clinical phenotypes, including visceral, cutaneous, mucosal, or asymptomatic leishmaniasis. This diversity in clinical outcomes may be influenced by the host immune response, with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules playing a crucial role in determining susceptibility and progression of the infection. This study explores the association between specific HLA variants and Leishmania infantum infection. We recruited four cohorts: a control group, asymptomatic individuals, patients with symptomatic disease, and cohabitants of infected individuals. HLA typing was performed for all participants, followed by an association analysis with infection status and disease progression. Our findings indicate that the HLA-B*38 and HLA-C*03 alleles are associated with protection against L. infantum infection. These results contribute to a better understanding of the disease's progression, offer potential for new therapeutic approaches such as vaccines, and expand the existing knowledge in the literature.

Keywords: Immunogenetics; L. Infantum; haplotype; human leukocyte antigen (HLA); leishmaniasis.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Alleles*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Gene Frequency
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • HLA Antigens / genetics
  • Humans
  • Leishmania infantum* / genetics
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / epidemiology
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / genetics
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / immunology
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / parasitology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Spain / epidemiology

Substances

  • HLA Antigens

Grants and funding

This study was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and FEDER, EU, through project PID2022-142230NB-I00. Andrés Torres-Llamas was supported by a FPI grant (PID2022-142230NB-I00).