Objective: This preliminary pedigree study aims at the evaluation of HPV infection and HLA class II alleles as predictive markers in pediatric RRP.
Methods: We investigated for HPV genotyping and HLA class II polymorphisms all the components of family nucleus where we detected a child born to an HPV infected mother and suffering from RRP.
Results: HPV 11 was detected both in the laryngeal biopsies of two of the three affected babies and in the cervical smear of their mothers. The third child was positive for HPV 6 while his mother harboured a double HPV 6-16 infection. In one family, the HLA-DQB1*0501 allele exerted its protective role. The HLA-DQB1*0301 allele, commonly associated to a high grade of cervical neoplasia and HPV infection, was present in homozygous in one mother and her child. The same allele was found, though in a heterozygous form, in the third patient too.
Conclusion: Our report is the first attempt to use the pedigree study for the evaluation of HLA class II alleles and HPV infection related to pediatric RRP. This approach could identify genetic markers that may influence disease predisposition and the severity of HPV infection.