title: Molecular analysis of DRB and DQB1 alleles in German spina bifida patients with and without IgE responsiveness to the latex major allergen Hev b 1.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Spina bifida patients are at a high risk of developing latex allergy. Recently, we found a relationship between the IgE responsiveness to latex allergen hevein and human leucocyte antigen (HLA) alleles DRB1*04(DR4) as well as DQB1*0302(DQ8). This study was carried out to investigate the association between HLA class II alleles and the specific IgE response to latex allergen Hev b 1 in spina bifida patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples from 103 unrelated German spina bifida patients exposed to latex products and from 90 unsensitized controls were examined. Genomic DNA isolation followed by HLA-D-specifc polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification was used to perform HLA typing of allelic polymorphisms in exon 2 of DQB1 and of DRB1,3,4,5 with sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes (SSOPs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-one out of 103 spina bifida patients were found to have anti-latex IgE antibodies; 40 had also anti-Hev b 1 antibodies. Further, we observed that 80% of the Hev b 1 responders underwent five or more surgeries whereas 55% of the Hev b 1 non-responders and 75% of the latex-non-responders underwent less than five surgical interventions. From the latex-sensitized group 33% showed an elevated phenotype frequency of DRB1*0701(DR7) when compared with unsensitized patients (12%, P = 0.0095, Pc = NS) and with controls (17%; P = 0.035, Pc = ns). Fifteen out of 40 Hev b 1 responders also exhibited an elevated DR7 frequency when compared with latex-sensitive but Hev b 1-negative patients (38% vs 18%, P = NS) or with unsensitized controls (38% vs 17%, P = 0.013, Pc = NS).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although we found that the DRB1*0701 (DR7) phenotype frequency was elevated in SB patients with latex- as well as with Hev b 1-IgE responsiveness, the analyses of the other class II alleles clearly demonstrate that the HLA-D region does not play a major role in the pathogenetic way of sensitization to Hev b 1.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Occupational Medicine (BGFA), Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Rihs
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cremer
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Baur
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D000917:Antibody Formation; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D007223:Infant; D007840:Latex / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D016135:Spinal Dysraphism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; C069051:HLA-DQB1 antigen; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; C098306:Hev b 1 protein, Hevea brasiliensis; D007840:Latex; D010940:Plant Proteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E