HLA-DPB1 alleles in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The distribution of HLA-DPB1 alleles was studied in 94 adult Caucasian RA patients (65 = seropositive, 29 = seronegative) and 40 normal controls. The DPB1 alleles were defined by oligonucleotide typing of polymerase chain (PCR)-amplified genomic DNA. The prevalence of the DPB10402 allele was higher in seropositive RA patients and DPB10201 was higher in seronegative RA patients. These differences were not significant, however. It is likely that DPB1 alleles do not play an important role in susceptibility to RA.