title: Association of HLA class II alleles with sensitization to cow dander Bos d 2, an important occupational allergen.
abstract: Allergic sensitization results from a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Earlier studies have shown that highly polymorphic HLA genes are associated with a variety of allergies. Several important respiratory allergens belong to the family of lipocalin proteins. These include occupational sensitizers, such as cow Bos d 2 or rat Rat n 1, and prevalent indoor sensitizers, such as dog Can f 1 or cockroach Bla g 4. HLA associations with sensitization to lipocalin allergens are incompletely known. In the present study we have investigated an association between HLA alleles and sensitization to the major cow allergen Bos d 2. The HLA-DR/DQ genotypes of 40 Bos d 2-sensitized subjects having occupational asthma were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the results were compared with the genotypes of 151 unrelated Finnish subjects. The frequencies of HLA class II alleles DRB1*0101, DRB1*0404, DQB1*0302, and DQB1*0501 were significantly higher among Bos d 2-sensitized than among control subjects. In addition, the allergic subjects expressed significantly lower frequencies of HLA-DRB1*0301 and DQB1*0201 alleles than did the control subjects. These data suggest that the HLA class II alleles DRB1*0101, DRB1*0404, DQB1*0302, and DQB1*0501, and the haplotypes that include them, are associated with sensitization to the major cow allergen Bos d 2, whereas HLA-DRB1*0301 and DQB1*0201 are dissociated with it. Amino acid analysis provides a biologically plausible explanation for the HLA associations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland. anu.kauppinen@uef.fi
authors.forename: Anu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kauppinen
authors.forename: Juha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peräsaari
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taivainen
authors.forename: Tuure
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kinnunen
authors.forename: Soili
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saarelainen
authors.forename: Marja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rytkönen-Nissinen
authors.forename: Hayley
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jeal
authors.forename: Meinir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Tuomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Virtanen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D000485:Allergens; D000818:Animals; D052179:Antigens, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D059366:Asthma, Occupational / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D001665:Binding Sites; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000276:immunology*; D005838:Genotype; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D059806:HLA-DR beta-Chains / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011485:Protein Binding
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D052179:Antigens, Plant; C113339:Bos d 2 allergen; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; D059806:HLA-DR beta-Chains; D054834:Lipocalins