title: Transmission of class I/II multi-locus MHC haplotypes and multiple sclerosis susceptibility: accounting for linkage disequilibrium.
abstract: The human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II region is associated with genetic susceptibility to multiple sclerosis (MS). Roles for HLA class I loci have been supported in several case-control studies, but this methodology does not consider the known linkage disequilibrium (LD) between class I and II loci. In 1258 individuals from 294 MS families, we analysed class I and II interactions. Using transmission disequilibrium test and haplotype analyses, we found positive associations between MS and several HLA-DRB1*15-HLA-A haplotypes including HLA-DRB1*15-HLA-A*02 (P = 2.41 x 10(-5)) and -HLA-A*03 (P = 8.42 x 10(-6)) and several HLA-DRB1*15-HLA-B haplotypes including HLA-DRB1*15-HLA-B*07 (P = 2.23 x 10(-10)). HLA-DRB1*15 haplotypes divergent for reported HLA-A allelic associations were equally over-transmitted, illustrating no detectable effect of HLA-A or -B alleles in cis on susceptibility. HLA-A and -B alleles on haplotypes not bearing HLA-DRB1*15 were not over-transmitted. Similarly, general over-transmission of HLA-DRB1*15 haplotypes was independent of the HLA-B allele present. Furthermore, HLA-B*07 haplotypes from HLA-DRB1*X-HLA-B*X/HLA-DRB1*X-HLA-B*07 heterozygous parents were transmitted per random expectation giving no indication of HLA-B independence or trans complementation of HLA-DRB1*15 by HLA-DRB1*X-HLA-B*07 haplotypes. These results imply that many reports of class I allelic associations in MS are class II dependent, secondary to LD with class II loci. The lack of independent class I associations suggests that virus-related class I-antigen complexes are not T-cell targets in MS. The inability to replicate confirmed case-control associations highlights the importance of family-based analyses. The frequency of allelic associations not being replicated emphasizes the requirement for constructing multi-locus haplotypes in dissecting associations in regions of tight LD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurology, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: Martin C N M
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Barnardo
authors.forename: Guang-Zhi
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Lui
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lincoln
authors.forename: Sreeram V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Ramagopalan
authors.forename: Blanca M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Herrera
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Dyment
authors.forename: A Dessa
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Sadovnick
authors.forename: George C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Ebers
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006239:Haplotypes; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II