title: HLA determinants in familial multiple sclerosis.
abstract: HLA-A, -B, -C, -DR, -DQ antigens were studied in 11 multiplex MS families, 11 single-case MS families and 100 healthy subjects. The HLA DR4 was the most frequent antigen in all MS patients (p = 0.015). When the antigenic frequency in index familial cases was compared with that in single cases, the DR4 antigen was found to be more frequent (p = 0.01) in familial cases only. Furthermore, when the DR4 antigen was excluded from the analysis, we observed an increase in DR2 (p = 0.11) only in the familial MS cases. These results can be compatible with a multifactorial hypothesis according to which the HLA genes have an important role in MS susceptibility in familial cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Grasso
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cutrupi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bernardi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trabace
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pozzilli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cappellacci
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fieschi
mesh_terms: D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics*; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics*; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D015802:HLA-DR2 Antigen / Q000235:genetics; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen / Q000235:genetics; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D006680:HLA Antigens; D015802:HLA-DR2 Antigen; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen