title: MICA association with presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome (POHS).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  MHC class I chain related gene A (MICA), a polymorphic and stress-inducible cell surface molecule, is located centromeric to human leukocyte antigen locus B (HLA-B) in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region on chromosome 6. MICA is thought to be involved in the innate immune response. An alanine repeat polymorphism is present in the MICA transmembrane region, for which several disease associations have been reported. Previous research indicated an association with the HLA-B7-DR2 haplotype. In this study we investigated the association of the polymorphic MICA alanine repeat and the ocular disease presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome (POHS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four patients and 106 controls were evaluated for the alanine repeat. A PCR reaction was performed to amplify the polymorphic MICA alanine repeat. Allele lengths of the MICA alanine repeat in patients and controls were determined with GeneScan analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant associations were observed. Phenotype frequencies of the polymorphic MICA alanine repeat were not significantly different between POHS patients and controls. Neither in the complete patient group compared with the control group nor in one of the subdivided patient groups compared with the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that the MICA alanine repeat is not a disease-associated factor in POHS. Further analysis of other genes in the B-DR region might elucidate the association of POHS with B7-DR2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reinders
authors.forename: Erik H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Rozemuller
authors.forename: Jenny V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Ongkosuwito
authors.forename: Martine J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Jager
authors.forename: Marcel G J
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Tilanus
authors.forename: Maria S A
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Suttorp-Schulten
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000409:Alanine / Q000235:genetics*; D015821:Eye Infections, Fungal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics*; D006658:Histoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006660:Histoplasmosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology; D013577:Syndrome
chemical_list: D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; C099187:MHC class I-related chain A; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D000409:Alanine