HLA Evolutionary Divergence and Paediatric Disease Risk: Unveiling Genetic Associations

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Auteurs principaux: Donato Madalese, Laura Auriemma, Martina Esposito, Mario Toriello, Stefania Nappo, Stefania Lama, Francesco Topo, Lucia Gallo, Giovanni Castellano, Natasha Martino, Rosa Colucci, Roberto Crocchiolo, Francesco Paolo Tambaro, Roberta Penta de Vera d’Aragona
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Publié: Wiley 2026
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HLA
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author Donato Madalese
Laura Auriemma
Martina Esposito
Mario Toriello
Stefania Nappo
Stefania Lama
Francesco Topo
Lucia Gallo
Giovanni Castellano
Natasha Martino
Rosa Colucci
Roberto Crocchiolo
Francesco Paolo Tambaro
Roberta Penta de Vera d’Aragona
author_facet Donato Madalese
Laura Auriemma
Martina Esposito
Mario Toriello
Stefania Nappo
Stefania Lama
Francesco Topo
Lucia Gallo
Giovanni Castellano
Natasha Martino
Rosa Colucci
Roberto Crocchiolo
Francesco Paolo Tambaro
Roberta Penta de Vera d’Aragona
Donato Madalese
Laura Auriemma
Martina Esposito
Mario Toriello
Stefania Nappo
Stefania Lama
Francesco Topo
Lucia Gallo
Giovanni Castellano
Natasha Martino
Rosa Colucci
Roberto Crocchiolo
Francesco Paolo Tambaro
Roberta Penta de Vera d’Aragona
collection Wiley Open Access
contents HLA Evolutionary Divergence and Paediatric Disease Risk: Unveiling Genetic Associations Donato Madalese Laura Auriemma Martina Esposito Mario Toriello Stefania Nappo Stefania Lama Francesco Topo Lucia Gallo Giovanni Castellano Natasha Martino Rosa Colucci Roberto Crocchiolo Francesco Paolo Tambaro Roberta Penta de Vera d’Aragona HLA ABSTRACT The HLA system plays a crucial role in immune recognition, with genetic variability influencing disease susceptibility. This study examines the association between HLA evolutionary divergence (HED) scores and paediatric haematological malignancies, aiming to determine whether locus‐specific HED profiles correlate with disease risk. A cohort of 89 paediatric patients (age ≤ 20) with high‐resolution HLA typing (A, B, C loci) was analysed. HED scores were categorised into eight distinct profiles (H = High, L = Low divergence). Statistical associations were assessed using Fisher's exact test and binary logistic regression to adjust for potential confounders, including age and sex. The LHH profile (low divergence at Locus A, high at B and C) emerged as a significant risk factor for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL), showing a three‐fold increase in risk (OR = 3.24; p  = 0.0481). Conversely, high divergence at Locus B alone showed a trend toward ALL susceptibility (OR = 2.17; p  = 0.056). Multivariable regression confirmed that HED is an independent biological variable, with no significant influence from age ( p  = 0.689) or sex ( p  = 0.756). Furthermore, HED profiles significantly influenced the age at diagnosis (clinical latency); for instance, patients with the HHL profile exhibited a delayed onset compared to HHH profiles (mean age 12.47 vs. 6.58 years), suggesting that specific HED configurations may modulate the kinetics of immune evasion. These findings demonstrate that HED, particularly at the HLA‐A locus, is a critical determinant of leukaemia susceptibility. The identification of the HLA‐A ‘bottleneck’ (LHH profile) suggests a selective failure in antigen presentation, potentially leading to compromised anti‐tumour surveillance. The independence of HED from standard clinical variables and its impact on disease latency highlight its potential as a robust immunogenetic biomarker for risk stratification and personalised monitoring in paediatric oncology. 10.1111/tan.70721 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor
doi_str_mv 10.1111/tan.70721
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id wiley_oa_10_1111_tan_70721
institution Wiley Open Access
license_str_mv http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor
publishDate 2026
publisher Wiley
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spellingShingle HLA Evolutionary Divergence and Paediatric Disease Risk: Unveiling Genetic Associations
Donato Madalese
Laura Auriemma
Martina Esposito
Mario Toriello
Stefania Nappo
Stefania Lama
Francesco Topo
Lucia Gallo
Giovanni Castellano
Natasha Martino
Rosa Colucci
Roberto Crocchiolo
Francesco Paolo Tambaro
Roberta Penta de Vera d’Aragona
HLA
HLA Evolutionary Divergence and Paediatric Disease Risk: Unveiling Genetic Associations Donato Madalese Laura Auriemma Martina Esposito Mario Toriello Stefania Nappo Stefania Lama Francesco Topo Lucia Gallo Giovanni Castellano Natasha Martino Rosa Colucci Roberto Crocchiolo Francesco Paolo Tambaro Roberta Penta de Vera d’Aragona HLA ABSTRACT The HLA system plays a crucial role in immune recognition, with genetic variability influencing disease susceptibility. This study examines the association between HLA evolutionary divergence (HED) scores and paediatric haematological malignancies, aiming to determine whether locus‐specific HED profiles correlate with disease risk. A cohort of 89 paediatric patients (age ≤ 20) with high‐resolution HLA typing (A, B, C loci) was analysed. HED scores were categorised into eight distinct profiles (H = High, L = Low divergence). Statistical associations were assessed using Fisher's exact test and binary logistic regression to adjust for potential confounders, including age and sex. The LHH profile (low divergence at Locus A, high at B and C) emerged as a significant risk factor for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL), showing a three‐fold increase in risk (OR = 3.24; p  = 0.0481). Conversely, high divergence at Locus B alone showed a trend toward ALL susceptibility (OR = 2.17; p  = 0.056). Multivariable regression confirmed that HED is an independent biological variable, with no significant influence from age ( p  = 0.689) or sex ( p  = 0.756). Furthermore, HED profiles significantly influenced the age at diagnosis (clinical latency); for instance, patients with the HHL profile exhibited a delayed onset compared to HHH profiles (mean age 12.47 vs. 6.58 years), suggesting that specific HED configurations may modulate the kinetics of immune evasion. These findings demonstrate that HED, particularly at the HLA‐A locus, is a critical determinant of leukaemia susceptibility. The identification of the HLA‐A ‘bottleneck’ (LHH profile) suggests a selective failure in antigen presentation, potentially leading to compromised anti‐tumour surveillance. The independence of HED from standard clinical variables and its impact on disease latency highlight its potential as a robust immunogenetic biomarker for risk stratification and personalised monitoring in paediatric oncology. 10.1111/tan.70721 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor
title HLA Evolutionary Divergence and Paediatric Disease Risk: Unveiling Genetic Associations
topic HLA
url https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/tan.70721