title: HLA-multiple sclerosis association in continental Italy and correlation with disease prevalence in Europe.
abstract: The association with HLA-DRB1 alleles was tested in 609 Continental Italian MS patients and 836 controls. The phenotype frequency of DRB1*15 in the patients was significantly higher (0.316 vs. 0.112; p(c)<10(-6); Odds Ratio (OR)=3.64) with no dose effect. DRB1*10 was also significantly increased (OR=2.19; p(c)=0.047) and DRB1*07 decreased (OR=0.60; p(c)=1.3 x 10(-3)) independently of DR15 and of each other. We did not detect an influence of the DR phenotype on disease course, age at onset/diagnosis, gender or familiarity. No association with Class I was detected in a random subset of patients and controls. A comparison of the HLA association data in Northern and Southern European populations shows a parallel between disease prevalence and DR15 frequency.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Neurologiche e Psichiatriche, Univ. Firenze, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ballerini
authors.forename: Franca R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Guerini
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rombolà
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rosati
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Massacesi
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferrante
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Caputo
authors.forename: Lorenzo Figà
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Talamanca
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Naldi
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liguori
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alizadeh
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Momigliano-Richiardi
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: D'Alfonso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D059810:HLA-DR Serological Subtypes; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D010641:Phenotype; D017678:Sex Distribution
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059810:HLA-DR Serological Subtypes; C106559:HLA-DR15 antigen; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I