The RNA-Seq data demonstrated upregulation of genes involved in antigen processing and presentation (CD80, CD86, HLA-DQB1), inflammation and scavenging of metabolically altered lipids (CD1A, MSR1, OXLR1) in podoconiosis patients while histones and cell division transcripts were significantly downregulated. Here, HLA-DQB1 is linked to podoconiosis.