title: Association of HLA-DR/DQ polymorphism with myasthenia gravis in Tunisian patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder of the neuromuscular junction. MG has been shown to be associated with many human leukocyte antigens (HLA) in different populations. The aim of this study was to investigate the probable association between HLA-DR/DQ alleles and MG in Tunisian patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  HLA DR/DQ genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP) with 48 MG patients and 100 healthy individuals serving as the control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Myasthenia gravis in Tunisian patients was found to be associated with the following alleles (p(c) denotes Bonferroni corrected probability values): HLA-DRB1*03 (p(c)<10(-3)), DRB1*04 (p(c)=0.005), DQB1*02 (p(c)=0.002) and, DQB1*03 (p(c)=0.007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data demonstrated a new HLA-MG predisposition with DRB1*04. The DRB1*03, DRB1*04, DQB1*02, and DQB1*03 alleles also could be predisposing genetic factors for MG in the Tunisian population.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Department of Hematology, Military Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia. fnajiba@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Najiba
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fekih-Mrissa
authors.forename: Sarra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Klai
authors.forename: Jamel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zaouali
authors.forename: Nasreddine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gritli
authors.forename: Ridha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mrissa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000379:methods; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D014416:Tunisia; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens