Genetics of rheumatoid arthritis (RA): two separate regions in the major histocompatibility complex contribute to susceptibility to RA.

We analyzed HLA-DR antigens and microsatellite Bat2 alleles in 97 adult caucasian patients with classical seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 95 normal healthy controls. The results demonstrate that the prevalence of microsatellite Bat2 138 allele was significantly higher in RA-susceptibility DRB1 QKRAA/QRRAA epitope-negative patients as compared with normal controls. Analysis of the data suggested that Bat2 138 allele has primary association with RA-susceptibility in QKRAA/QRRAA epitope-negative patients. The Bat2 138 allele thus provides an additional risk in RA-susceptibility. In addition, microsatellite Bat2 138 allele showed a highly significant positive association with microsatellite D6S273 138 allele, which has similar (identical) association with RA development in DRB1 QKRAA/QRRAA epitope-negative patients. The present data demonstrate that DRB1 QKRAA/QRRAA epitope and microsatellite Bat2 138/D6S273 138 alleles more completely define the risk for development of RA. The results in the present study therefore suggest that two regions in MHC, class II (DRB1) and class III (Bat2 and D6S273 in HSP70-Bat2 region), contribute to susceptibility to RA.