TAP1 and TAP2 polymorphism in HLA-B27-positive subpopulations: no allelic differences in ankylosing spondylitis and reactive arthritis.

The polymorphic TAP1 and TAP2 genes encode subunits of the transporter that delivers peptides to the HLA class I molecules. Because the polymorphism of the TAP genes has been shown to affect peptide transport, it has been suggested that TAP genes are potential regulators of the immune response. We studied TAP1 and TAP2 polymorphism in two multifactorial HLA-B27-associated diseases, ankylosing spondylitis (N = 30) and reactive arthritis (N = 30), in order to establish whether TAP genes are involved in the different pathogenesis of these diseases. Healthy HLA-B27-positive individuals (N = 55) were chosen as the primary controls and 93 individuals represented the random Finnish population as secondary controls. We found differences between the random and HLA-B27-positive populations, thus suggesting that certain TAP alleles are prevalent in HLA-B27 haplotypes. No differences were found between the AS and ReA groups nor between either of them and the healthy HLA-B27-positive controls. Thus it seems unlikely that TAP polymorphism, ar the level studied, has a dominant role in the pathogenesis of these diseases. However, a family study is needed in order to determine whether the same TAP complexes are carried by the same haplotypes in these diseases.