Analysis of HLA alleles polymorphism in Chinese patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.
BACKGROUND
A familial clustering of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and the presence of immunological abnormalities in family members suggest a genetic component involved in the pathogenesis of PBC. The aims of this study are to investigate the frequencies of human leukocyte antigen HLA-A, -B, and -DRB1 alleles in Chinese patients with PBC by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based techniques, and to assess the correlation of the above-mentioned HLA with some clinical and laboratory features.


METHODS
Genotyping of HLA alleles were performed in 65 well-characterized PBC patients and 431 healthy controls with sequence-specific primers PCR amplification.


RESULTS
HLA-DRB1*07 allele detected in 19 of the 65 (29.2%) PBC patients was subtyped as DRB1*0701, as well as in 13.9% of controls (PC<0.05, OR=2.55, 95%CI: 1.4-4.6). An increased frequency of DRB1*03 (18.4% vs. 7.2% in healthy controls) and a decreased frequency of DRB1*12 (16.9% vs. 28.8%) in PBC patients were statistically significant. There was no association with HLA-DRB1*08 reported. The frequencies for HLA-A, B and the other DRB1 alleles were similar between patients and healthy controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The susceptibility to PBC in Chinese individuals is associated with DRB1*0701 allele. This association differs from that in North Americans, South Americans, North Europeans and even Japanese, but it is not restricted to any particular subgroup of patients.
Clinical Laboratory, General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command of PLA, Guangzhou 510010, China. xiangliuhaiying@21cn.com.
Hai-Ying
HY
Liu
An-Mei
AM
Deng
Ye
Y
Zhou
Ding-Kang
DK
Yao
De-Xing
DX
Xu
Ren-Qian
RQ
Zhong
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
D006680:HLA Antigens