HLA-G alleles impact the perinatal father-child HPV transmission

Abstract

BackgroundThe host factors that influence the father-to-child human papillomavirus (HPV) transmission remain unknown. This study evaluated whether human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G alleles are important in father-to-child HPV transmission during the perinatal period.MethodsAltogether, 134 father-newborn dyads from the Finnish Family HPV Study were included in the analyses. Oral, semen and urethral samples from the fathers were collected before the delivery, and oral samples from their offspring at delivery and postpartum at birth, day-3, at 1-, 2- and 6-month follow-up visits. HLA-G alleles were tested by direct sequencing. Unconditional logistic regression was used to determine the associations between the father-child HLA-G allele and genotype concordance and the father-child HPV prevalence and concordance at birth and during follow-up.ResultsHLA-G allele G*01:01:03 concordance was associated with father’s urethral and child’s oral high-risk (HR)-HPV concordance at birth (OR 17.00, 95%CI:1.24-232.22). Controversially at postpartum period G*01:01:03 discordance was associated with father’s urethral and child’s oral HR-HPV concordance (OR 6.67, 95%CI:1.08-40.97). HLA-G allele G*01:04:01 concordance increased the father’s oral and child’s postpartum oral any- and HR-HPV concordance, with OR 7.50 (95%CI:1.47-38.16) and OR 7.78 (95%CI:1.38-43.85), respectively. There was no association between different HLA-G genotypes and HPV concordance among the father-child dyads at birth or postpartum.ConclusionThe HLA-G allele concordance appears to impact the HPV transmission between the father and his offspring. This suggests that the father might have an important regulatory role in the natural history of his child’s oral HPV infection, which should be further explored.