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Risk for intentional violent death associated with HLA genotypes: a preliminary survey of deceased American organ donors

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Abstract

This study investigates the different Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) genotypes and their possible associations with both disease and behavior, specifically by describing significant associations between particular HLA genotypes and occurrence of intentional violent death. A de-identified dataset of n = 216,426 deceased American organ donors was analyzed for all possible genotypes by comparing the Independent Variable (Each specific HLA genotype vs. remainder of sample, non-genotype) on the Dependent Variable (Intentional Violent vs. Non-violent death). For HLA-A, 17 heterozygotes were significantly associated with increased occurrence of intentional violent death, with heightened prevalence for HLA-A2, HLA-A23, HLA-A30, HLA-A68, and HLA-A74 alleles. For HLA-B, 32 heterozygotes were significant, 25 of which (e.g., HLA-B7, HLA-B8, HLA-B35, HLA-B44, and HLA-B53) exhibited heightened prevalence of violent death. For HLA-BW, homozygotes had significantly increased odds ratios for intentional violent death. For HLA-DRB1, 19 heterozygotes were significant, with heightened prevalence only for the HLA-DRB1-4 allele. There were no racial differences in risk for the significant HLA-A and HLA-B genotypes. These exploratory, not necessarily causal, results provide the first indications of possible HLA-aggression associations in humans, supporting animal models.

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Acknowledgments

The author thanks the United Network for Organ Sharing for granting a data licensing agreement for de-identified organ donor records.

Disclaimer: The data reported here have been supplied by the United Network for Organ Sharing as the contractor for the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. The interpretation and reporting of these data are the responsibility of the author and in no way should be seen as an official policy of or interpretation by the OPTN or the US Government.

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  1. Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 319C MacNider, CB 7530, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA

    David W. Hollar

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Hollar, D.W. Risk for intentional violent death associated with HLA genotypes: a preliminary survey of deceased American organ donors. Genetica 137, 253–264 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10709-009-9369-8

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