Association of HLA-Dw16 with rheumatoid arthritis in Yakima Indians. Further evidence for the "shared epitope" hypothesis.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is prevalent in Yakima Indians, a Native American tribe. HLA-DR4, the HLA specificity commonly associated with RA in Caucasians, is rare among the Yakima. Using a specific oligonucleotide probe that recognizes DR4 nucleotide sequences associated with RA, a rare HLA-Dw16 gene was identified in 83% of Yakima patients with RA and in 60% of Yakima control subjects. This shared sequence encodes a discrete class II epitope that is highly correlated with RA in both DR4 positive and DR4 negative individuals.
Willkens
R F
RF
Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98104.
Nepom
G T
GT
Marks
C R
CR
Nettles
J W
JW
Nepom
B S
BS
D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data
D000939:Epitopes; D006681:HLA-D Antigens