HLA Cw*06 is not essential for streptococcal-induced psoriasis.
BACKGROUND
Streptococcal throat infections and HLA Cw6 (Cw*06) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, particularly in the guttate form.


OBJECTIVE
To study 105 Irish patients with psoriasis to investigate the relationship between streptococcal infections and Cw*06.


METHODS
The patients were divided into two groups: those with guttate psoriasis or guttate flare (guttate group, GG, n=64) and those with chronic plaque psoriasis (chronic plaque group, CPG, n=41).


RESULTS
The incidence of Cw*06 was 86% in the GG and 73% in the CPG, which was not significantly different (P=0.1725) but the incidence in both groups was significantly higher than in an Irish control group (18%) (P<0.0001 vs. GG and P<0.0001 vs. CPG). Evidence for streptococcal infection was higher in the GG (56%) than in the CPG (32%) (P=0.0231). Of those patients with evidence of streptococcal infection, 30 of 36 GG (83%) and nine of 13 CPG (69%) patients possessed the Cw*06 genotype.


CONCLUSIONS
Thus, not all patients with streptococcal-related psoriasis carry Cw*06. The role of Cw*06 in psoriasis, if any, has yet to be determined.
Fry
L
L
Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK, and The Skin Hospital, Dublin 2, Ireland.
Powles
A V
AV
Corcoran
S
S
Rogers
S
S
Ward
J
J
Unsworth
D J
DJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D015236:HLA-C Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology*; D012008:Recurrence; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications*
D015236:HLA-C Antigens; C528994:HLA-C*06 antigen