HLA-Dw2 as a marker of resistance against juvenile diabetes mellitus.

Juvenile-onset diabetes mellitus (JDM) is one of the human diseases shown to be associated with histocompatibility antigens. The occurrence of serologically defined HLA antigens B8 Bw15, B18 and Cw3 is increased among these patients (Singal & Blajchman 1973, Nerup et al. 1974, Cudworth & Woodrow 1975). However, lymphocyte defined HLA-D antigens Dw3 and Dw4 (LD 8a and LD w15a), positively associated with these serologically defined antigens, seem to be even stronger markers of susceptibility to this disease (Thomsen et al. 1975).