Reassessing human MHC-I genetic diversity in T cell studies

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 7966 - 7
• Main Authors: Slieker, Roderick C., Warmerdam, Daniël O., Vermeer, Maarten H., van Doorn, Remco, Heemskerk, Mirjam H. M., Scheeren, Ferenc A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 04.04.2024; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/250; 631/67; 692/308; Alleles; Antigens; Clinical trials; COVID-19; Genetic diversity; Global health; Health care; Humanities and Social Sciences; Immunotherapy; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes T; Major histocompatibility complex; multidisciplinary; Precision medicine; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); T cell receptors
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58777-2

The Major Histocompatibility Complex class I (MHC-I) system plays a vital role in immune responses by presenting antigens to T cells. Allele specific technologies, including recombinant MHC-I technologies, have been extensively used in T cell analyses for COVID-19 patients and are currently used in the development of immunotherapies for cancer. However, the immense diversity of MHC-I alleles presents challenges. The genetic diversity serves as the foundation of personalized medicine, yet it also poses a potential risk of exacerbating healthcare disparities based on MHC-I alleles. To assess potential biases, we analysed (pre)clinical publications focusing on COVID-19 studies and T cell receptor (TCR)-based clinical trials. Our findings reveal an underrepresentation of MHC-I alleles associated with Asian, Australian, and African descent. Ensuring diverse representation is vital for advancing personalized medicine and global healthcare equity, transcending genetic diversity. Addressing this disparity is essential to unlock the full potential of T cells for enhancing diagnosis and treatment across all individuals.