HLA class II alleles and multiple sclerosis in Tunisian patients.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of our study was to investigate the association of HLA-DRB1 and -DQB1 alleles with multiple sclerosis (MS) in a Tunisian population and their effect on age at onset and disease severity.


METHODS
58 MS patients and 105 healthy controls were genotyped for HLA class II alleles by PCR-SSP technique.


RESULTS
An association of MS with HLA-DRB1*15 was found (14.7% vs 3.8%, OR (95% CI)=4.34 (1.69-11.39), p(c)=2.5×10(-3)) after Bonferroni's correction. Moreover, the DRB1*15-DQB1*06 (13.8% vs 2.8%, OR (95% CI)=5.44 (1.92-17.41), p(c)=1.1×10(-3)) and DRB1*04-DQB1*04 (8.6% vs 1.9%, OR (95% CI)=4.86 (1.36-21.62), p(c)=0.028) haplotypes were found to confer a susceptibility to multiple sclerosis.


CONCLUSIONS
To our knowledge, this is the first study performed to analyze the association of HLA-DRB1/DQB1 alleles on MS susceptibility in Tunisia. The modern Tunisian gene pool shows some degree of heterogeneity and reflects a significant gene flow from Mediterranean regions.
Messadi
Amira
A
Department of Hematology, Military Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia. amiramessadi@gmail.com
Najiba
Fekih-Mrissa
FM
Ouerhani
Slah
S
Zaweli
Jemel
J
Louatti
Ines
I
Layouni
Sami
S
Nciri
Brahim
B
Bouaicha
Ghaya
G
Kouki
Wafa
W
Yedeas
Mondher
M
Raies
Aly
A
Mrissa
Ridha
R
Gritli
Nasreddine
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II / Q000235:genetics*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D006239:Haplotypes; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; C069051:HLA-DQB1 antigen; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; C507799:HLA-DRB1*15 antigen