title: HLA-B*51 and B*15 alleles confer predisposition to Behçet's disease in Moroccan patients.
abstract: HLA class I polymorphism in Moroccan patients with Behçet's disease has not been investigated so far. In this study, HLA-B* phenotype frequencies were analyzed in 86 unrelated Moroccan patients (45 males, 41 females) and 111 ethnically matched healthy controls. The predisposing effect of the B*51 was confirmed (30.2% in patients and 15.3% in controls, OR = 2.39, 95% CI [1.2-4.8], p = 0.015). It was mostly observed in males with young age at disease onset (OR= 5.5 [1.9-15.9], p = 0.002 compared to controls). The Moroccan BD group also presented a previously unknown association with HLA-B*15 (25.6% of patients versus 11.7% of controls, OR = 2.59 [1.2-5.5], p = 0.014), both in females and in males with late-onset of the disease. Altogether, the B*15 and/or B*51 alleles were expressed in 55.8% of patients compared to 27% of controls (OR = 3.4 [1.9-6.2], p < 10-4, Pc = 0.003). Our data indicate HLA-B effects on BD pathogenesis should be considered separately for men and women.
authors.affiliation: Faculté des Sciences Ben Msik, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Choukri
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chakib
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Himmich
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hüe
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caillat-Zucman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D015235:HLA-B Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D059910:HLA-B15 Antigen; D059949:HLA-B51 Antigen; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009018:Morocco / Q000453:epidemiology; D010641:Phenotype; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D015235:HLA-B Antigens; D059910:HLA-B15 Antigen; D059949:HLA-B51 Antigen