The impact of HLA-A and -DRB1 on age at onset, disease course and severity in Scandinavian multiple sclerosis patients.
The human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class II haplotype DRB1*15-DQB1*06 (DR15-DQ6) is associated with susceptibility to multiple sclerosis (MS), and HLA class I associations in MS have also been reported. However, the influence of HLA class I and II alleles on clinical phenotypes in MS has not yet been completely studied. This study aimed at evaluating the impact of HLA-A and -DRB1 alleles on clinical variables in Scandinavian MS patients. The correlation between HLA-A or -DRB1 alleles and age at onset, disease course and Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score (MSSS) were studied in 1457 Norwegian and Swedish MS patients by regression analyses and Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test. Presence of HLA-DRB1*15 was correlated with younger age at onset of disease (corrected P = 0.009). No correlation was found between HLA-A and the variables studied. This study analysed the effect of HLA-A on clinical variables in a large Scandinavian sample set, but could not identify any significant contribution from HLA-A on the clinical phenotype in MS. However, associations between HLA-DRB1*15 and age at onset of MS were reproduced in this extended Scandinavian MS cohort.
Smestad
C
C
Department of Neurology, Ullevål University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. smec@uus.no
Brynedal
B
B
Jonasdottir
G
G
Lorentzen
A R
AR
Masterman
T
T
Akesson
E
E
Spurkland
A
A
Lie
B A
BA
Palmgren
J
J
Celius
E G
EG
Hillert
J
J
Harbo
H F
HF
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000483:Alleles; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005820:Genetic Testing; D005838:Genotype; D015234:HLA-A Antigens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D009664:Norway; D010641:Phenotype; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013548:Sweden
D015415:Biomarkers; D005819:Genetic Markers; D015234:HLA-A Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains