title: Investigation of the possible association between the HLA antigens and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).
abstract: The etiology of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), characterized by destruction of platelets, is still poorly understood. Although genetic as well as immunological factors are thought to play a role in the disease pathogenesis, genetic association studies in terms of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) polymorphisms are scarce and discrepant. Results from previous studies suggest that different populations show varying associations with MHC alleles. Since i) there are inconsistencies in HLA associations, and ii) such an association study does not exist for the Indian subcontinent, we carried out sequence specific priming (SSP)-based genotyping of HLA DRB1 alleles in the North Indian population. Data for such studies is available for two East Asian countries, Japan and China, and the association in both cases is different. Further, among the Japanese population too, there are discrepant results. It was therefore important to analyze such an association in the Indian population, belonging to Southern Asia. Our data shows that none of the alleles have any significant association with ITP. Moreover, in contrast to other studies, comparison made between patients who were responsive to steroid therapy against those who were refractory to steroids, also did not show any association of the HLA DRB1 alleles with steroid responsiveness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunopathology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012 India.
authors.forename: Ram R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Negi
authors.forename: Preeti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bhoria
authors.forename: Akhil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pahuja
authors.forename: Biman
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saikia
authors.forename: Neelam
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Varma
authors.forename: Pankaj
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Malhotra
authors.forename: Subhash
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Varma
authors.forename: Manni
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luthra-Guptasarma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004351:Drug Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012008:Recurrence; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D013256:Steroids