Plasma vitamin D-binding protein (GC) factors, immunoglobulin G heavy chain (GM) allotypes and immunoglobulin kappa light chain (KM1) allotype in patients with sarcoidosis and in healthy control subjects.

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Sarcoidosis is an immune disease with abnormalities in the production of vitamin D and immunoglobulins. The aim was to examine whether the distribution of plasma vitamin D-binding protein = group-specific component (GC) allotypes, immunoglobulin G heavy chain (GM) allotypes and immunoglobulin kappa light chain (KM) allotype differed significantly from the distribution in healthy subjects.

METHODS

GC 1S, 1F, 2 allotypes, GM 1, 2, 5 allotypes, and KM1 allotype were assessed in 44 patients with sarcoidosis and in healthy control subjects.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences between the frequencies of the GC, GM and KM allotypes in sarcoidosis patients and in control subjects. Furthermore, there was no relationship between the presentation or course of the sarcoid disease and GC, GM or KM allotypes.

CONCLUSIONS

GC, GM and KMI allotypes do not appear to play any major role in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis.