Human Leukocyte Antigen Haplotypes in the Genetic Control of Immune Response to Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine

To elucidate the contribution of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) haplotypes and their genotypic combinations to immune status after measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination, 346 children 12–18 years of age were studied. The class I A*29-Cw*16-B*44 haplotype was associated with lower levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody to both measles ( ) and mumps ( ) viral antigens. The A*26-Cw*12-B*38 haplotypePp.08 Pp.03 was associated with higher cellular immune responses to measles ( ) and mumps ( ) vaccinePp.02 Pp.01 viruses. Subjects with the class II DRB1*03-DQB1*02-DPB1*04 haplotype had higher lymphoproliferative responses to measles virus ( ) and mumps virus (). The DRB1*15/16-DQB1*06-DPB1*03 hap-Pp.01 Pp.006 lotype was associated with high levels of IgG antibody to measles virus ( ) but low levels of IgG antibodyPp.09 to rubella virus (), whereas DRB1*04-DQB1*03-DPB1*03 was associated with high lymphoproliferativePp.02 responses to both measles ( ) and rubella ( ) vaccine viruses. A*26-Cw*12-B*38 was associatedPp.01 Pp.002 with both mumps virus–specific humoral ( ) and cell-mediated ( ) immune responses after 2Pp.007 Pp.01 doses of MMR vaccine. Haplotype DRB1*04-DQB1*03-DPB1*03 was associated with both lower rubella virus IgG antibody levels ( ) and higher rubella virus–specific lymphoproliferation (). Better char-Pp.02 Pp.002 acterization of such HLA profiles could inform and improve the design of novel epitope-rich vaccines and help to predict protective immune responses at the individual and population level