Search for linkage disequilibrium between alleles in the T cell receptor alpha and beta chain loci and susceptibility to rheumatic fever.

A population-based linkage disequilibrium study was conducted to search for associations between alleles in T cell receptor alpha and beta chain polymorphic loci and susceptibility to rheumatic fever. The allele frequencies of four T cell receptor locus restriction fragment length polymorphisms were measured in 47 European and 51 Maori subjects with a history of rheumatic fever. These allele frequencies were compared to the allele frequencies in three or four independently recruited, race-matched control groups totalling 125 Europeans and 117 Maoris with no history of rheumatic fever. The polymorphisms studied were (locus/enzyme/probe) C alpha/Taq1/Y14, V alpha/Taq1/Y14, V beta 7/BAMHI/V beta 7.4 and V beta 8/BAMHI/V beta 8.1. There was no evidence for linkage disequilibrium between rheumatic fever and these Tcr alleles in either the Maori or European subjects.