Erosive rheumatoid factor negative and positive rheumatoid arthritis are immunogenetically similar.
OBJECTIVE
The relationship between rheumatoid factor positive (RF+) and rheumatoid factor negative (RF-) rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is controversial. We sought to determine whether the HLA genes conferring susceptibility for erosive RF+RA are also prevalent in patients with erosive RF-RA.


METHODS
DNA-based HLA typing for DRB1, DQB1, and DPB1 was performed on 16 consistently RF--patients with erosive RA.


RESULTS
Thirteen of 16 (81%) RF-RA patients had the HLA susceptibility genes DRB1 *0401, *0404, or *0101, which are associated with RF+RA, as compared to 46% of normal controls (p = 0.017). By contrast, no associations with HLA-DQB1 and HLA-DPB1 alleles were apparent.


CONCLUSIONS
Specific HLA susceptibility alleles are prevalent in patients with erosive RA, regardless of RF status, suggesting a similar immunogenetic basis for RA in these patients.
Vehe
R K
RK
Virginia Mason Research Center, Seattle, WA 98101.
Nepom
G T
GT
Wilske
K R
KR
Stage
D
D
Begovich
A B
AB
Nepom
B S
BS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006682:HLA-DP Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D059868:HLA-DP beta-Chains; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007125:Immunogenetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood*
D006681:HLA-D Antigens; D006682:HLA-DP Antigens; D059868:HLA-DP beta-Chains; C071170:HLA-DPB1 antigen; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; C069051:HLA-DQB1 antigen; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; C553505:HLA-DRB1*04:01 antigen; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor