HLA class II gene polymorphism contributes little to Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
Previous studies of HLA and Hashimoto's thyroiditis have shown weak associations between the disease and various HLA-DR antigens.


OBJECTIVE
To define better the contribution of HLA class II alleles to susceptibility to Hashimoto's thyroiditis.


METHODS
Comparison of HLA-DRB, DQA and DQB restriction fragment length polymorphisms in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and control subjects, and meta-analysis of this and other published studies.


METHODS
Fifty Caucasian patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and 93 racially-matched control subjects.


RESULTS
A 4.6 kb Taq 1 DQA restriction fragment length polymorphism occurred in 60% of patients compared with 35.5% of controls, Pc < 0.025. No other restriction fragment length polymorphism was significantly associated with the disease. Meta-analysis of several studies demonstrated weak, positive associations between the disease and DR3 and DR4. An association with DR5 was not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
DR antigens are unlikely to determine disease susceptibility directly. These findings indicate that any contribution of HLA genes to inherited susceptibility to Hashimoto's thyroiditis is small and requires confirmation in family studies.
Jenkins
D
D
Department of Medicine, University of Birmingham, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Edgbaston, UK.
Penny
M A
MA
Fletcher
J A
JA
Jacobs
K H
KH
Mijovic
C H
CH
Franklyn
J A
JA
Sheppard
M C
MC
D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II / Q000235:genetics*; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D059848:HLA-DQ alpha-Chains; D006801:Humans; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000235:genetics*
D005819:Genetic Markers; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D059848:HLA-DQ alpha-Chains; C069050:HLA-DQA1 antigen