Do specific pockets of HLA-C molecules predispose Jewish patients to psoriasis vulgaris?
BACKGROUND
Psoriasis vulgaris was reported to be associated with a specific alanine residue at position 73 of HLA-C alleles in Japanese patients.


OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to determine the role of HLA genes in susceptibility to psoriasis vulgaris in the Israeli Jewish population.


METHODS
Twenty-eight Israeli patients were analyzed for their HLA class I and II specificities by means of serologic and molecular methods.


RESULTS
All patients possessed in their HLA-C antigens an alanine residue at position 73 (p < 0.002). A significantly increased frequency of HLA-Cw6 and of Cw7 was also observed among the patients (p < 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study clearly shows that alanine in position 73 is significantly associated with psoriasis vulgaris in Jewish patients. Cw6 and Cw7 have a unique antigen-binding pocket containing both alanine at position 73 and a negatively charged aspartic acid at position 9. These residues are most probably important in determining the conformation of the C pocket and in turn the nature of the peptide bound to it. We suggest that this combination confers the highest risk of the development of psoriasis vulgaris.
Roitberg-Tambur
A
A
Lautenberg Center for General and Tumor Immunology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
Friedmann
A
A
Tzfoni
E E
EE
Battat
S
S
Ben Hammo
R
R
Safirman
C
C
Tokunaga
K
K
Asahina
A
A
Brautbar
C
C
D000409:Alanine / Q000235:genetics; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000235:genetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D015236:HLA-C Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D007585:Jews / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
D015236:HLA-C Antigens; C528994:HLA-C*06 antigen; C040178:HLA-C*70 antigen; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D004247:DNA; D000409:Alanine