TY - JOUR

T1 - Two Novel Human Leukocyte Antigen Alleles Are Associated with Decreased Risk of Onychomycosis in a Large Cohort of Danish Blood Donors

AU - Lindsø Andersen, Pernille

AU - Jemec, Gregor Borut Ernst

AU - Erikstrup, Christian

AU - Didriksen, Maria

AU - Dinh, Khoa Manh

AU - Mikkelsen, Susan

AU - Bruun, Mie Topholm

AU - Hjalgrim, Henrik

AU - Hansen, Thomas Folkmann

AU - Sækmose, Susanne Gjørup

AU - Ostrowski, Sisse Rye

AU - Pedersen, Ole Birger

AU - Saunte, Ditte Marie

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Introduction: Antigen presentation and antimicrobial immune responses involve the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system. Onychomycosis is primarily caused by dermatophytes and affects around 5.5% of the population worldwide. Yet, only limited data exist on the associations between the HLA system and onychomycosis. Thus, the objective of the study was to investigate if there is an association between HLA alleles and onychomycosis. Methods: Participants in the Danish Blood Donor Study were defined as cases of onychomycosis and controls based on antifungal prescriptions in the national prescription registry. Associations were investigated using logistic regressions adjusted for confounders and were Bonferroni corrected for multiple tests. Results: A total of 3,665 participants were considered onychomycosis cases, and 24,144 participants were considered controls. We found two protective HLA alleles of onychomycosis: DQB1∗06:04, odds ratios (OR) 0.80 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71-0.90), and DRB1∗13:02, OR 0.79 (95% CI: 0.71-0.89). Conclusion: The finding of two novel protective alleles of onychomycosis indicates that certain HLA alleles have certain antigen presentation properties affecting the risk of fungal infection. These findings may provide the basis for future research identifying immunologically relevant antigens of fungi causing onychomycosis, which could ultimately lead to targets of new drugs with antifungal effects.

AB - Introduction: Antigen presentation and antimicrobial immune responses involve the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system. Onychomycosis is primarily caused by dermatophytes and affects around 5.5% of the population worldwide. Yet, only limited data exist on the associations between the HLA system and onychomycosis. Thus, the objective of the study was to investigate if there is an association between HLA alleles and onychomycosis. Methods: Participants in the Danish Blood Donor Study were defined as cases of onychomycosis and controls based on antifungal prescriptions in the national prescription registry. Associations were investigated using logistic regressions adjusted for confounders and were Bonferroni corrected for multiple tests. Results: A total of 3,665 participants were considered onychomycosis cases, and 24,144 participants were considered controls. We found two protective HLA alleles of onychomycosis: DQB1∗06:04, odds ratios (OR) 0.80 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71-0.90), and DRB1∗13:02, OR 0.79 (95% CI: 0.71-0.89). Conclusion: The finding of two novel protective alleles of onychomycosis indicates that certain HLA alleles have certain antigen presentation properties affecting the risk of fungal infection. These findings may provide the basis for future research identifying immunologically relevant antigens of fungi causing onychomycosis, which could ultimately lead to targets of new drugs with antifungal effects.

KW - Blood donors

KW - Dermatophyte

KW - Major histocompatibility complex

KW - Nail fungus

KW - Onychomycosis

KW - Tinea

U2 - 10.1159/000529092

DO - 10.1159/000529092

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 37325286

AN - SCOPUS:85149249467

VL - 9

SP - 195

EP - 202

JO - Skin Appendage Disorders

JF - Skin Appendage Disorders

SN - 2296-9195

IS - 3

ER -