Positive and negative association of HLA-DR genotypes with Japanese rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To clarify the relationship between the HLA-DR genotype and susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Japanese patients.


METHODS
HLA-DR typing and DRB1* genotyping were carried out by PCR and PCR-SSCP (single stranded DNA conformation polymorphism), respectively.


RESULTS
In RA, the prevalence of HLA-DR4 was significantly higher (57.3%, p < 0.05). In particular, DRB1*0405 was predominantly higher (46.9%, p < 0.05) and DRB1*0401 was also increased although not significantly. HLA-DR8, especially DRB1*0802, was significantly lower (1.0%, p < 0.01). RA patients homozygous for DRB1*0405 showed slightly higher values for the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, gamma-globulin, and IgG, as well as positivity for rheumatoid factor and high titers for the Waalar-Rose test, and a decrease in the albumin/globulin ratio, albumin, and hemoglobin in comparison to patients without RA susceptibility genes, although the difference for each of these parameters was not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
DRB1*0405 and DRB1*0802, which are both rare alleles in Caucasians, are positively and negatively correlated, respectively, with the pathogenesis of RA in Japan.
Takeuchi
F
F
Department of Medicine and Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Nakano
K
K
Matsuta
K
K
Nabeta
H
H
Bannai
M
M
Tanimoto
K
K
Ito
K
K
D000483:Alleles; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D015798:HLA-DR1 Antigen / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D015798:HLA-DR1 Antigen; D004247:DNA