A Comparison of HLA Genotype with Inflammation in Uveal Melanoma

PURPOSE. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) polymorphisms have been associated with the development of autoimmune diseases. In uveal melanoma, a high expression of HLA classes I and II, and infiltration with lymphocytes and macrophages are associated with a bad prognosis. Inflammation has an important role in this malignancy. The goal of our study was to determine whether specific HLA alleles are associated with increased inflammation. METHODS. Records were analyzed of 45 patients who underwent enucleation for uveal melanoma. HLA typing, tumor HLA expression and tumor macrophage infiltration were determined in each case. RESULTS. Before correction for multiple testing, macrophage infiltration was less in HLA-A2 positive patients. Patients with HLA-DR6 had a higher tumor cell expression of HLA-DR. After correction for the number of analyses, no associations remained statistically significant. CONCLUSION. The results before correction suggest that the HLA genotype may influence inflammation as indicated by HLA expression and macrophage infiltration in uveal melanoma. However, after correction this association did not prove significant. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2012;53:2640-2646) DOI:10.1167/iovs.11-8901