In this study, we describe associations between variation in
human leukocyte antigen (
HLA) DP and DQ amino acid sequences and low
measles antibody levels after
measles immunization. We tested serum samples from 242 children for
measles immunoglobulin G antibodies. We performed class II HLA typing and examined associations between DQ and DP exon 2 amino acid sequences and antibody levels. No DP
amino acid variants were associated with seronegativity. However, 11 DQA and 6 DQB
amino acid variants were associated with seronegativity (p<0.005). These
amino acid variants were highly correlated, and the significant DQA
amino acids were only found in alleles *0201, *0301, *0401, *0501, and *0601. Two of the
amino acids associated with
measles seronegativity were located in predicted binding pockets of the DQ molecule; one was present in the leader sequence. Among the DQB alleles, all of the
amino acid variants associated with seronegativity were present only in the DQB*0201 allele. Two of the
amino acids associated with seronegativity were located in predicted binding pockets of the DQ molecule; two were located in the leader sequence. Our data suggest that specific DQA and DQB
amino acid variations are associated with
measles seronegativity after vaccination.