By Kat Procyk
In a new study in Neuro-Oncology, a journal of the Society for Neuro-Oncology, a group of scientists led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh explored human leukocyte antigen (HLA) diversity in glioma patients of different races and, for the first time, identified specific HLA alleles linked to glioma risk and clinical prognosis.
Scientists don’t fully understand why some individuals are more likely to get glioma, a type of brain tumor, or experience different outcomes because of it—despite glioma being a life-threatening and aggressive form of cancer. The immune system, however, is well-known for its ability to detect and fight cancer, partly by recognizing harmful antigens found on cell surface proteins called major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules.
“Each person has a varied combination of these proteins, translated from HLA alleles, which helps their immune system recognize different cancer markers,” said Gary Kohanbash, senior author and assistant professor of neurological surgery and immunology at Pitt’s School of Medicine. “Knowing this, we thought HLA alleles may influence both the chances of developing glioma and how the patient responds to the disease.”
After analyzing 1,215 glioma patient cases from different racial backgrounds, the distribution of HLA alleles was consistent within each race and specific HLA alleles closely related to glioma risk and prognosis were also race-linked. In non-Hispanic white patients, having two identical copies of the HLA-I gene increased the risk of developing glioma.
“It’s hoped that these findings will guide the future development of individualized immunotherapy strategies based on HLA-gene characteristics,” said co-author Ian Pollock, A. Leland Albright Distinguished Professor at Pitt’s School of Medicine.