The HLA-DRB1*1501 allele is prevalent among Japanese patients with anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody-mediated disease.
BACKGROUND
We aimed to clarify the relationship between HLA-DRB1(*)1501 and anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibody-mediated disease in Japanese patients.


METHODS
Samples were collected from 16 anti-GBM antibody-positive patients who were admitted to our department or related hospitals from December 1990 to October 2005. We analysed clinical and laboratory data, kidney biopsy findings, and the HLA-DR phenotypes and HLA-DRB1 alleles of the patients.


RESULTS
Among the 16 patients, 15 had HLA-DR15 [the phenotype frequency (PF) was 93.8%], 7 were positive for DR4 (the PF was 43.8%) and 5 were positive for DR9 (the PF was 31.3%). The allele frequency of HLA-DRB1(*)1501 was 46.4% (13/28), which was significantly different from Japanese controls (11.6%) (P < 0.001). In contrast, the frequency of HLA-DRB1(*)1502 was not different from controls (0/28). The odds ratio of HLA-DRB1(*)1501 in these patients was 6.4 (95% CI: 2.4-16.5).


CONCLUSIONS
The present study demonstrated that Japanese patients with anti-GBM antibody-mediated disease are very likely to carry the HLA-DRB1(*)1501 but not the HLA-DRB1(*)1502 allele.
Kitagawa
Wataru
W
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology and Rheumatology, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1195, Japan.
Imai
Hirokazu
H
Komatsuda
Atsushi
A
Maki
Nobuki
N
Wakui
Hideki
H
Hiki
Yoshiyuki
Y
Sugiyama
Satoshi
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D019867:Anti-Glomerular Basement Membrane Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D050533:Glomerular Basement Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D001323:Autoantibodies; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; C489631:HLA-DRB1*15:01 antigen; C051951:antiglomerular basement membrane antibody