A multiplex allele-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for HLA-B*13:01 genotyping in four Chinese populations

Human leukocyte antigen HLA-B*13:01 is identified currently as a marker of individual susceptibility to drug-induced hypersensitivity reaction, such as dapsone-induced hypersensitivity reactions (DIHRs) and trichloroethylene-induced dermatitis. Therefore, screening for the HLA-B*13:01 allele can assist clinics in identifying patients at risk of developing DIHRs. By combining the allele-specific primers with TaqMan probes, we established a single tube, triplex real-time PCR to detect HLA-B*13:01. The reliability of this assay was validated by the comparison of genotyping results with those by sequence-based typing (SBT). With this assay, the distribution of HLA-B*13:01 in a total of 350 blood samples from four ethnic groups: Han, Tibetan, Uighur, and Buyei were determined. A 100% concordance was observed between the results with the established real-time PCR and SBT in 100 samples. The detection limit of this assay was 0.016 ng genomic DNA. The prevalence of HLA-B*13:01 carriers were 11%, 8%, 1%, and 2% in the Buyei (n=100), Northern Han (n=100), Tibetan (n=100), and Uighur (n=50) populations, respectively. The multiplex real-time PCR assay provided a fast and reliable method for accurate detection of HLA-B*13:01 allele prior to dapsone administration in clinical practice and onset of the reaction after exposure to trichloroethylene.