Yen J H, Chen C J, Tsai W C, Ou T T, Lin C H, Lin S C, Liu H W
Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, No. 100, Shih-Chuan 1st Road, Kaohsiung City 807, Taiwan.
Kaohsiung J Med Sci. 2001 Apr;17(4):183-9.
To investigate the role of HLA-DQA1 genotypes and their interaction with HLA-DRB1 in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Taiwan, HLA-DQA1 was determined in 71 patients with RA and 108 healthy controls by SSP-PCR method. HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQA1 were simultaneously detected in 55 RA patients and 101 healthy controls. PCR/SSOP method was used to determine the HLA-DRB1 genotypes, and the subtypes of HLA-DR4 were determined by cloning and sequencing. The phenotypic frequency of HLA-DQA10301 was significantly lower in RA than in controls, and, in contrast, the HLA-DQA10302 and DQA10303 were significantly higher in RA than in controls. The associations of DQA10301, 0302, and 0303 with RA were independent of DR4 and DRB10405. Moreover, the interactions between HLA-DR4 and HLA-DQA10302 or DQA10303 could enhance the development of RA. We also found that the prevalence of bone erosion and seropositivity of rheumatoid factor (RF) were significantly higher in HLA-DQA10303 positive RA patients than in healthy controls. HLA-DQA10302 and DQA10303 are the risk factors for susceptibility to RA, while HLA-DQA10301 is a protective factor. A synergistic effect for the susceptibility to RA can be found between HLA-DR4 and HLA-DQA10302 or DQA10303. We also found that the HLA-DQA10303 was related to bone erosion and seropositivity of RF in RA patients.
