HLA‐A, ‐B, and ‐DR antigens in North African patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Seventy‐six North African patients (most from Algeria) affected with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) have been studied for their HLA‐A, ‐B and ‐DR phenotypes and compared with a control North African population. Antigens HLA‐A3, HLA‐B5 and HLA‐Bw15 were found more frequently in the NPC group than in the control group (30.3% vs 17.6%, 38.2% vs 24.4% and 9.2% vs 0.8%, respectively). HLA‐Aw33, HLA‐B14 and HLA‐DR4 were less frequent in the patients than in the controls (3.9% vs 16.8%, 1.3% vs 16% and 13.2% vs 29.1%, respectively). After correction for the number of specificities tested, these differences were not statistically significant. They were, however, more striking when compared to normal Kabyles (Algerian Berbers), a major ethnical population in Algeria, with lower incidences of the HLA‐B5 antigen and of the HLA‐Aw33‐B14 haplotype. This could suggest, in North Africa, either the existence of MHC‐linked genes of resistance or susceptibility to NPC, in Berbers especially, or a preferential occurrence of NPC in non‐Berbers. Antibody titers against the Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) associated early antigen (EA) and viral capsid antigen (VCA) have been measured. No correlation was observed between HLA phenotypes and the anti‐EBV serological response of the patients.