Association of HLA with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome in Koreans.
OBJECTIVE
To study the distribution of human leukocyte antigen HLA-A/B antigens and HLA-DR/-DQ/-DP alleles and to investigate the immunogenetic background of Korean patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome and clinical course with different types of HLA.


METHODS
Human leukocyte antigen typings were performed in 18 Korean patients with VKH syndrome and in 128 healthy control subjects. HLA-A/B loci serologic typing was performed according to the standard microlymphocytotoxicity technique. DNA was extracted through the salting out method, and HLA-DR phenotyping and HLA-DR4, HLA-DQ, and HLA-DP subtyping were performed with the polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific oligonucleotide probe (PCR-SSOP) method.


RESULTS
Among HLA-A/B antigens typed by the standard microlymphocytotoxicity method, the frequencies of HLA-A31 (RR = 6.1, P<1x10(-2)) and HLA-B55 (RR = 15.8, P<.05) were significantly increased in the patient group compared with the control group. Among HLA-DR/-DQ/-DP alleles subtyped by DNA methods, the frequencies of HLA-DRB1*04 (RR = 45.1, P<1x10(-7)) and HLA-DRB1*07 (RR = 3.2, P<.05) were significantly increased. However, significant decreases in HLA-DRB1*08 (RR = .1, P<.05), HLA-DRB1*13 (RR = .1, P<.05), and HLA-DRB1*14 (RR = .1, P<.05) frequencies were observed. The result of HLA-DR, HLA-DQ, and HLA-DP subtyping showed the significant increase in DRB1*0405 (RR = 45.1, P<1x10(-7)), DQA1*0302 (RR = 12.0, P<1x10(-4)), DQB1*0303 (RR = 5.0, P<1x10(-2)), DQB1*0401 (RR = 18.9, P<1x 10-6), and DPB1*0501 (RR = 3.8, P<.05). However, significant decreases in DQA1*0101 (RR = .1, P< .05), DQA10102 (RR = .1, P<1x10(-2)), DQA1*0103 (RR = .1, P<.05), DQA1*0501 (RR = .1, P<1x10(-2)), DQB1*0301 (RR = .1, P<.05), DQB1*0601 (RR = .1, P<.05), DPB1*0201 (RR = .3, P<.05), and DPB1*0401 (RR = .1, P<.05) frequencies were also observed. In patients with DRB1*0405 itself or HLA-DRB1*0405-DQA1*0302-DQB1*0401 haplotype, a reduction in visual acuity and ocular complications was common.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that HLA-DRB1*0405 itself or HLA-DRB1*0405-DQA1*0302-DQB1*0401 haplotype is greatly increased and may play the most important role in the development and the clinical course of VKH syndrome in Korean patients.
Kim
M H
MH
Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul.
Seong
M C
MC
Kwak
N H
NH
Yoo
J S
JS
Huh
W
W
Kim
T G
TG
Han
H
H
D000483:Alleles; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D015234:HLA-A Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D015235:HLA-B Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006239:Haplotypes; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014607:Uveomeningoencephalitic Syndrome / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*
D015234:HLA-A Antigens; D015235:HLA-B Antigens; D006681:HLA-D Antigens; D004247:DNA