No support for HLA-DQ encoded susceptibility in rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To test predictions based on data from immunogenetic and peptide-binding studies of collagen-induced arthritis in mice, in which it has been suggested that susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) might be determined by the interaction between susceptibility alleles at the HLA-DQ locus and protective alleles at the HLA-DRB1 locus (including susceptibility effects for HLA-DQ7 and DQ8).


METHODS
Predictions based on these models were tested in 166 healthy controls and 167 patients with RA, all of whom were typed for HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQ alleles.


RESULTS
In this population, HLA-DQ7 did not encode an increased risk for RA. This lack of susceptibility effect of HLA-DQ7 could not be attributed to competing HLA-DQ susceptibility alleles, protective HLA-DRB1 alleles, or the absence of DQA1*0301.


CONCLUSIONS
These observations do not support the DR/DQ hypothesis in its present form.
de Vries
N
N
Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
van Elderen
C
C
Tijssen
H
H
van Riel
P L
PL
van de Putte
L B
LB
D000483:Alleles; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D059848:HLA-DQ alpha-Chains; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D006801:Humans
D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D059848:HLA-DQ alpha-Chains; C069050:HLA-DQA1 antigen; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains