Rapid and Reliable Genotyping of HLA-B*57:01 in Four Chinese Populations Using a Single-Tube Duplex Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay

rs144012689 is a highly specific representative marker of HLA-B*15:02 in the Chinese population

Objective: To develop an accurate and rapid real-time PCR technique for HLA-B*15:02 genotyping and investigate HLA-B*15:02 allele frequency in four ethnic populations in China. Materials & methods: Based on the highly specific representative markers, a real-time PCR assay was developed for HLA-B*15:02 genotyping, and HLA-B*15:02 allele frequencies were screened in four ethnic populations of China. Sequence-based typing was used to validate the accuracy of the assay. Results: The sensitivity and specificity of the assay were 100%, and the detection limit was 0.2 ng. The frequency of HLA-B*15:02 alleles distributed in the Bouyei population was significantly higher than in the Han group (p < 0.01). Neither the Tibetan nor the Uyghur population carried the HLA-B*15:02 haplotype. Conclusion: The authors developed an accurate HLA-B*15:02 genotyping method for evaluating the risk of adverse drug reactions induced by carbamazepine in various ethnic populations in China.

Development of a rapid and reliable single-tube multiplex real-time PCR method for HLA-A*24:02 genotyping

Aim: HLA-A*24:02 is significantly associated with cutaneous adverse drug reactions caused by aromatic antiepileptic drugs. Here, we aimed to establish a fast and reliable detection method for HLA-A*24:02 genotyping. Methods: A single-tube multiplex quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay for HLA-A*24:02 genotyping was established by combining allele-specific primers with TaqMan probes. Results: A 100% concordance was observed between qPCR and SBT result in 106 Han subjects. The detection limit of the new method was 0.05 ng DNA. The positive rate of HLA-A*24:02 in Tibetans (55.6%, n = 81) was significantly higher than those in Han (34%, n = 106), Uighur (27.5%, n = 102), Bouyei (25.9%, n = 116) and Miao populations (26.5%, n = 113). Conclusion: The newly established qPCR assay was reliable for HLA-A*24:02 screening in clinical applications.

Single-tube multiplex real-time PCR assay for rapid and reliable detection of HLA-A*31:01 allele

AIM

HLA-A*31:01 has been associated with carbamazepine-induced hypersensitivity reactions. HLA-A*31:01 genetic testing is recommended before the initiation of carbamazepine therapy.

METHODS

A novel real-time PCR assay was designed for HLA-A*31:01 detection by allele-specific primers and TaqMan minor groove binding probes.

RESULTS

The genotyping results in 100 subjects by the established method who were in 100% agreement with the sequencing-based typing method. The assay presents a sensitivity of 1 (95% CI: 0.69-1.00), a specificity of 1 (95% CI: 0.96-1.00) and a positive and negative predictive value of 1. The carrier rates of HLA-A*31:01 in Tibetan (n = 45), Han Chinese (n = 100), Miaos (n = 48) and Khalkhas (n = 48) were 22.2, 10, 4.2 and 18.8%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This assay is reliable to detect HLA-A*31:01 and would be useful to prevent carbamazepine-induced hypersensitivity reactions.