DR Alleles (dr + allele)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Alpha B-crystallin is not a dominant peripheral T-cell autoantigen in multiple sclerosis amongst Sardinians

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 5 2003
S. Sotgiu
The heat shock protein alpha B-crystallin appears to be the dominantly recognized autoantigen in the early demyelinative process of multiple sclerosis (MS) in brain of patients. In Sardinia, MS is linked to human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-DR alleles that might influence the production of cytokines from peripheral lymphocytes. We tested the nature of peripheral anti-alpha B-crystallin-specific T-cell response in the context of predisposing HLA haplotypes both in MS patients and healthy controls. The alpha B-crystallin specific T-cell lines were generated by using the ,split-well' technique. The results indicate that the presence of short-term T-cell lines towards alpha B-crystallin is numerically comparable between the two groups and not restricted to MS-predisposing HLA-DR alleles. As for the T-cell characterization, CD4+ anti-alpha B-crystallin T cells secreting high levels of interferon- , are similarly identified in MS and healthy donors. In conclusion, the peripheral response towards the myelin antigen alpha B-crystallin is neither quantitatively nor qualitatively peculiar to MS, in contrast to the theoretical paradigm suggesting peripheral activation of myelin-reactive T cells to be the prerequisite for MS induction. [source]


HLA haplotypes in recurrent aphthous stomatitis: a mode­ of inheritance?

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF IMMUNOGENETICS, Issue 6 2008
E. Albanidou-Farmaki
Summary The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic association between recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) and human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class I and II alleles and HLA haplotypes. Families selected had at least one child suffering from recurrent aphthous stomatitis in addition to one or both of the parents. HLA-A, -B and -DR alleles were typed in 29 families, 27 nuclear and two extended (121 subjects). HLA haplotypes of all family members with RAS were compared with those who were RAS negative. Although major histocompatibility complex class I and II gene analysis failed to demonstrate any significant association between RAS and HLA antigens, the study of HLA haplotypes revealed a significant association between HLA haplotypes and susceptibility to RAS. The results indicate that susceptibility to RAS segregates in families in association with HLA haplotypes. [source]


Polymorphisms in MHC- DRA and - DRB alleles of water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) reveal different features from cattle DR alleles

ANIMAL GENETICS, Issue 1 2003
L. Sena
Summary Seventy-five individuals of Bubalus bubalis belonging to four different breeds, three of river buffalo and one of swamp buffalo, were studied for polymorphism in MHC DRB (Bubu-DRB) and DRA (Bubu-DRA) loci. Eight alleles of Bubu-DRB were found, and all alleles in the swamp type were shared with the three river breeds. All alleles sampled from the breed of European origin (Mediterranean) were present in breeds sampled in Brazil, thus variability of this locus may have been preserved to a great extent in the more recently founded Brazilian population. Bubu-DRB alleles contained higher proportions of synonymous vs. non-synonymous substitutions in the non-peptide-binding sites (PBS) region, in contrast to the pattern of variation found in BoLA-DRB3, the orthologous locus in cattle. This indicated that either the first domain exon (exon 2) of Bubu-DRB has not undergone as much recombination and/or gene conversion as in cattle alleles, or Bubu-DRB may be more ancient than BoLA-DRB3 alleles. Phylogenetic analysis of DRB alleles from Bubalus, Syncerus c. caffer, the Cape buffalo, and domestic cattle demonstrated transspecies polymorphism. Water buffalo contained two alleles of DRA that differed from each other in two amino acid positions, including one in the PBS (,22) that was also shared with Anoa depressicornis, the anoa. Discovery of variation in DRA was surprising as the first domain of DRA is a highly conserved polypeptide in mammals in general and especially in ruminants, where no other substitution in PBS was seen. [source]


HLA,DR alleles determine responsiveness to Borrelia burgdorferi antigens in a mouse model of self-perpetuating arthritis

ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 12 2009
Bettina Panagiota Iliopoulou
Objective Arthritis is a prominent manifestation of Lyme disease, which is caused by infection with Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb). Chronic Lyme arthritis persisting even after antibiotic treatment is linked to HLA,DRB1*0401 (DR4) and related alleles. In contrast, patients whose Lyme arthritis resolves within 3 months postinfection show an increased frequency of HLA,DRB1*1101 (DR11). The aim of this study was to analyze the underlying mechanism by which HLA,DR alleles confer genetic susceptibility or resistance to antibiotic-refractory Lyme arthritis. Methods We generated DR11-transgenic (DR11-Tg) mice on a murine MHCII,/, background and compared their immune response to Bb antigens with the response of DR4-Tg mice after immunization with Bb outer surface protein A (OspA) or infection with live Bb. Results T cells from OspA-immunized and Bb-infected DR11-Tg mice had defective production of interferon-, as compared with those from DR4-Tg mice. In contrast, DR11-Tg mice developed higher titers of anti-OspA and anti-Bb antibodies, respectively, than did DR4-Tg mice. Consistent with this observation, we found that the Bb-infected DR11-Tg mice had a decreased spirochetal burden as compared with the DR4-Tg mice, as measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Conclusion This study provides direct evidence that in the presence of HLA,DR11, the immune response against Bb antigens is directed toward a protective antibody response. In contrast, an inflammatory Th1 response is induced in the presence of DR4. These observations offer an explanation for the differential genetic susceptibility of DR4+ and DR11+ individuals to the development of chronic Lyme arthritis and, eventually, the progression to antibiotic-refractory Lyme arthritis. [source]


The DERAA HLA,DR alleles in patients with early polyarthritis: Protection against severe disease and lack of association with rheumatoid arthritis autoantibodies,

ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 3 2009
Nathalie Carrier
Objective To define the association of alleles encoding the HLA,DR rheumatoid arthritis (RA) protective epitope (DERAA) with the presence of RA-associated antibodies at study inclusion and with severe outcome in patients with early polyarthritis (EPA). Methods Consecutive EPA patients (n = 210) were evaluated early (mean of 4.8 months after diagnosis) and prospectively (for 30 months). HLA class II typing was performed by polymerase chain reaction using sequence-specific primers, and HLA,DR alleles DERAA, RA-associated shared epitope (SE), and non-SE/non-DERAA (neither SE nor DERAA) were identified. RA-associated antibodies identified were anti-Sa/citrullinated vimentin, anti,cyclic citrullinated peptide 2, and IgM rheumatoid factor. Severe disease was defined according to a preset threshold of joint destruction and/or functional limitation. Results DERAA and SE alleles were present in 62 and 110 of the 210 EPA patients, respectively. At 30 months, severe disease was present in 78 patients (37%). In contrast to SE alleles, DERAA alleles were not associated with the production of RA-associated antibodies, but were strongly protective against severe disease at 30 months (odds ratio 0.30, P < 0.001). DERAA alleles emerged as a strong, independent protective marker on multivariate analysis. The protective effect of DERAA was seen only in patients who did not already have erosions at study inclusion, was independent of the presence of antibodies, but was not associated with spontaneous remission. Conclusion In our EPA cohort, the presence of a DERAA sequence was a strong independent predictor of a better prognosis, but only in the absence of erosive disease that was already present at inclusion. Identification of DERAA alleles may help in managing the large subgroup of EPA patients who do not have erosions at baseline. [source]