Different HLA class II (DRB1 and DQB1) alleles determine either susceptibility or resistance to NMO and multiple sclerosis among the French Afro-Caribbean population.
BACKGROUND
Despite similarities, neuromyelitis optica (NMO) can be distinguished from multiple sclerosis (MS) by clinical, radiological and serological findings.


OBJECTIVE
This case-control study aimed to determine whether patients with NMO or with MS in an Afro-Caribbean population originating from French West Indies shared the same or different HLA class I and II pattern distribution.


METHODS
The association with HLA class II (DRB1 and DQB1) alleles was tested in 42 NMO patients, 163 MS patients and 150 healthy controls. HLA-DRB1 and DQB1 typing was undertaken on genomic DNA extracted from peripheral blood leucocytes.


RESULTS
By comparison with healthy controls, significantly increased frequency of HLA-DRB1 03 (26.2% vs. 13%, odds ratio 2.4, 95% confidence interval 1.31-4.28, p after correction, cp 0.045) was observed in patients with NMO. By contrast, in MS patients, HLA-DRB1 15 (24.8% vs. 13%, odds ratio 2.21, 95% CI 1.45-3.36, cp < 0.0015), but not DRB1 03 allele, was positively associated with the disease. Moreover, a modest protective effect of HLA-DRB1 11 in the MS group, independently of DRB1 15 association, was found (13.7% vs. 7% in controls, odds ratio 0.48, p 0.006), but did not survive Bonferroni correction.


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, comparison of the HLA-DRB1 and DQB1 distribution in NMO and MS in this Afro-Caribbean population shows important differences in the HLA associations among NMO and MS.
Deschamps
R
R
Centre de Référence Caribéen des Maladies Rares Neurologiques et Neuro-Musculaires, CHU de Fort de France, Fort de France, Martinique. rom.deschamps@wanadoo.fr
Paturel
L
L
Jeannin
S
S
Chausson
N
N
Olindo
S
S
Béra
O
O
Bellance
R
R
Smadja
D
D
Césaire
D
D
Cabre
P
P
D000328:Adult; D044383:Black People / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D019430:Guadeloupe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008395:Martinique / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010641:Phenotype; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; C069051:HLA-DQB1 antigen; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains