Two-dimensional gel analysis demonstrates no structural alteration of HLA-B27 polypeptides between patients with ankylosing spondylitis and healthy individuals.

After precipitation of the HLA-B27 antigen from the surface of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) by means of an anti-HLA-B27 allospecific monoclonal antibody 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis was used to compare the structure of the B27 antigens derived from 5 patients with ankylosing spondylitis with that of healthy HLA-B27 positive counterparts. No significant difference in polypeptide structure was noted, which suggests that the pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis does not involve a structural alteration in cell surface HLA-B27 molecules.