title: Serology versus PCR-SSP in typing for HLA-DR and HLA-DQ: a practical evaluation.
abstract: In this study, serological HLA-DR and -DQ typing results were compared to typing results obtained with sequence-specific primers in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR-SSP). HLA-DR typing was performed on a random caucasian population consisting of 31 patients and 73 healthy individuals. Considering HLA-DR1-10, differences in typing results were found in 3 out of 73 healthy individuals and 8 out of 31 patients. When HLA-DR1-16 alleles were taken into account, differences in typing results were found in 11 out of 31 patients and 14 out of 73 healthy individuals. Typing results of PCR-SSP, different from that of serology, were all confirmed by sequencing-based typing of HLA-DRB1 alleles. HLA-DQ1-3 typings were performed on 40 individuals consisting of 17 patients and 23 healthy individuals. Differences in typing results were found in 5 out of 17 patients and 1 out of 23 healthy individuals. From the results of this study it can be concluded that serology is a reliable technique, when restricted to identification of HLA-DR1-10 and HLA-DQ1-3 antigens in healthy individuals. By PCR-SSP, however, reliable HLA-DR1-16 and -DQ1-3 typings can be obtained both in patients and healthy individuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunohematology, University Hospital Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Otten
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Tilanus
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barnstijn
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: van Heugten
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: de Gast
mesh_terms: D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012699:Serology / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens