Open AccessMolecular analysis of major histocompatibility complex allelic associations with systemic lupus erythematosus in Taiwan
Author(s) -
Lu LingYing,
Ding WeiZi,
Fici Dolores,
Deulofeut Richard,
Cheng HeHsiung,
Cheu ChingCheng,
Sung PingKuang,
Schur Peter H.,
Fraser Patricia A.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
arthritis & rheumatism
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1529-0131
pISSN - 0004-3591
DOI - 10.1002/art.1780400619
Subject(s) - allele , haplotype , immunology , hla dqb1 , linkage disequilibrium , human leukocyte antigen , population , biology , genetics , medicine , gene , antigen , environmental health
Objective. To investigate the association of HLA class II alleles/haplotypes, type I C2 deficiency gene, and tumor necrosis factor α gene promoter allele (TNF2) with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in the Chinese population in Taiwan. Methods. The HLA‐DRB1 and DQB1 alleles were studied in 105 SLE patients and 115 controls by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)/sequence‐specific oligonucleotide probe method, the subtyping of DRB1*15/16 and DRB5 by PCR with sequence‐specific primers, type I C2 deficiency gene by PCR, and TNF2 by PCR‐ Nco I restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results. The frequencies of the HLA class II alleles DRB1*02, DRB1*1502, DRB5*0102, DQB1*0501, and DQB1*0602 and DR2‐associated haplotypes DRB1* 1501,DRB5*0101,DQB1*0602 and DRB1*1502,DRB5* 0102,DQB1*0501 were higher among SLE patients than among controls; however, only DQB1*0501 was statistically significantly associated with SLE. No specific allele/haplotype was significantly associated with lupus nephritis. No subject had type I C2 deficiency. SLE patients had a marginally higher percentage of TNF2, which was in linkage disequilibrium with DR3. Since DR3 was not associated with SLE in this Taiwanese Chinese population, TNF2 might play a role in the immunopathogenesis of SLE. Conclusion. Although no HLA‐DRB1 allele was found to be significantly associated with SLE, the associations with DQB1*0501 and TNF2 suggest that DQB1 and tumor necrosis factor α may be important genetic factors in SLE susceptibility in the Chinese population in Taiwan.