Frequent loss of HLA‐B*40:02 from leucocytes in male patients with hepatitis‐associated aplastic anaemia.

This document summarizes a study on hepatitis-associated aplastic anemia (HAAA), a rare variant of idiopathic aplastic anemia (iAA). The study explores the loss of a specific HLA allele, HLA-B*40:02, in male patients with HAAA. The researchers found that the somatic loss of HLA class I allele expression is present in some iAA patients, and the missing alleles are associated with certain HLA subtypes linked to iAA risk. The study suggests that HLA-B*40:02 is associated with an increased risk of developing HAAA. The research was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and the Takeda Science Foundation. [Extracted from the article]