title: Disease susceptibility genes and the Ia system.
abstract: Certain Ia allotypes such as DR4 show a strong association with particular autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Despite this strong association, a significant number of individuals with the inappropriate Ia allotype develop the disease. It is proposed that these individuals share an Ia determinant or "epitope" with individuals of the appropriate Ia allotype, and that these epitopes, which are "mobile" and can be transmitted from one Ia haplotype and/or gene locus to another by mechanisms such as gene conversion, form the molecular basis for disease-susceptibility genes.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D000939:Epitopes / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005785:Gene Conversion; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II