Molecular subtypes of the HLA-DR antigens in pulmonary tuberculosis.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to analyze association between HLA-DRB1 alleles and pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in the Polish population.


METHODS
The HLA-DRB1 typing was performed using sequence-specific amplification (polymerase chain reaction with sequence specific primer [PCR-SSP] in 31 patients and 58 healthy volunteers. The DRB1 primers were supplied by DYNAL in the standard kit DYNAL DR "low-resolution"-SSP.


RESULTS
The study showed that the DRB1*16 alleles frequency was higher in patients with PTB than in the tested group of healthy controls (P < 0.01). When HLA-DR2 alleles were combined (i.e., the DRB1*15 with DRB1*16 alleles), their frequency was comparable with that in the healthy individuals. The highest relative risk (RR) of tuberculosis was associated with DRB1*16 alleles (RR = 9.7). When HLA-DR6 alleles were combined (i.e., the DRB1*13 with DRB1*14 alleles), only a trend for higher frequency in patients with PTB was found. Frequency of DRB1*13 alleles of HLA-DR6 was significantly lower in PTB than in the healthy individuals (P < 0.001; RR = 0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that the presence of HLA-DRB1*16 alleles may increase the risk of development of PTB, whereas HLA-DRB1*13 alleles may be resistant to tuberculosis.
Dubaniewicz
A
A
Department of Physiopathology, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland.
Lewko
B
B
Moszkowska
G
G
Zamorska
B
B
Stepinski
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D005260:Female; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology
D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains