title: DRB1*0403 protects against IDDM in Caucasians with the high-risk heterozygous DQA1*0301-DQB1*0302/DQA1*0501-DQB1*0201 genotype. Belgian Diabetes Registry.
abstract: The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II genotype DQA1*0301-DQB1*0302/DQA1*0501-DQB1*0201 has been identified as a marker strongly predisposing to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) in Caucasian populations. Its frequency in control populations (1-3%) is still, however, 1 order of magnitude higher than the prevalence of IDDM, suggesting that its penetrance can be modified by protective factors. In this study we searched for such a factor in the DRB1 locus by studying DRB1*04 polymorphism in 174 European Caucasian IDDM patients and 73 nondiabetic control subjects, all sharing the HLA-DR3/DR4 phenotype. Significant protection was encoded by the DRB1*0403 allele, which was observed in 5 of 49 control subjects (10%) and none of 171 IDDM patients (0%) with the DQA1*0301-DQB1*0302/DQA1*0501-DQB1*0201 genotype (RR = 0.02 [0.01-0.18], P < 0.0005). These data support the concept that protective HLA class II genes can overrule the risk caused by HLA-DQ susceptibility dimers. They also contribute to a possible strategy to screen for nondiabetic individuals with increased genetic risk of developing IDDM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Van der Auwera
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Van Waeyenberge
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schuit
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Heimberg
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vandewalle
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gorus
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Flament
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D001483:Base Sequence; D015342:DNA Probes / Q000235:genetics; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005819:Genetic Markers; D005838:Genotype; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D059848:HLA-DQ alpha-Chains; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D006239:Haplotypes; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012307:Risk Factors; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D059848:HLA-DQ alpha-Chains; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; C069050:HLA-DQA1 antigen; C069051:HLA-DQB1 antigen; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains