title: Distribution of HLA-B*27 alleles in patients with ankylosing spondylitis in Iran.
abstract: HLA-B*27 is strongly associated with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). It represents a family of alleles that differ among ethnic groups.
  
  
  
  The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of HLA-B*27 alleles in AS patients and healthy controls in Isfahan (Iran).
  
  
  
  Sixty AS patients and 430 healthy blood donors were selected. All subjects were HLA-B*27 positive by flow cytometry. HLA-B*27 subtypes were determined by PCR-SSP.
  
  
  
  Forty patients (66.7%) and 17 controls (3.95%) were HLA-B*27 positive. Subtypes detected by PCR-SSP were B*2705, B*2702, B*2704 and B*2707. One patient was B*2702/B*2710. No significant difference was found in the distribution of these alleles between AS patients and controls.
  
  
  
  Although Caucasian subtypes are predominant among Iranians, this population is characterized by a combination of both specific Caucasian and Oriental subtypes. However such results should be interpreted carefully because of the small sample size in our investigation and definitive conclusion awaits more ethnic-group studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Salomeh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fouladi
authors.forename: Minoo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adib
authors.forename: Mansoor
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salehi
authors.forename: Hadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karimzadeh
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bakhshiani
authors.forename: Vajiheh
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ostadi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000235:genetics; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics*; D015235:HLA-B Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008875:Middle Aged; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000235:genetics*; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015235:HLA-B Antigens; C510610:HLA-B*27:04 antigen; C464936:HLA-B*27:05 antigen; C513088:HLA-B*27:07 antigen; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen