Genomic typing of class I HLA alleles adds substantially to the success of transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells from unrelated donors, even if the donors are serologically identical to their recipients with respect to HLA-A, B, and DR antigens.
Psoriatic arthritis (PA) is an immune disease associated with HLA-A2 in the Japanese population. To investigate mechanisms the association between HLA-A2 and PA, we examined in vivo immune responsiveness to Streptococcus pyogenes. Recombinant M proteins for the subtype specific N-terminal half (AB region) and conserved C-terminal half (C region) were produced separately. IgG antibody level against each region was measured by ELISA in 31 PA patients, 88 patients with psoriasis vulgaris, 6 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 77 healthy controls. We found that IgG antibody levels against the C region were markedly higher in the PA patient group than in the other disease groups or controls. Further, IgG antibody levels were higher in PA patients with spondylitis and polyarticular arthritis than in PA patients with rheumatoid-like arthritis and arthritis mutilans. In contrast, no significant difference in the IgG antibody levels against the AB region was observed among the tested groups. HLA-A2 DNA typing showed that HLA-A*0207 was associated with PA (RR = 17.6; pcorr < 0.01) and the IgG antibody responses to the C region correlated well with the presence of HLA-A*0207. These results suggest that streptococcal infection may be involved in the pathogenesis of PA by participating in the HLA-linked immune responsiveness.
Japanese cedar pollinosis is a type I allergic disease caused by Japanese cedar (Clyprorneria juponica) pollen. We investigated the association between the disease and HLA class I1 alleles by HLA-DNA typing using a PCR-SSOP method and found that the frequency of HLA-DPS (DPA1*02022 and DPB 1 *0501) was significantly increased in the patients. To investigate whether the HLA-DPS molecule is directly involved in the pathogenesis of the disease, Japanese cedar pollen antigen (CPAg)-specific T cell lines were established from 3 patients who possessed HLA-DPS (DPAl*O202U DPB1*0501). By using these CPAg-specific T cell lines and HLA class IIexpressing L-cell transfectants. we found that disease-associated HLA-DPS restricted T cells specific for CPAg existed in the patients. Furthermore, among 38 synthesized overlapping peptides spanning the entire length of one of the major Japanese cedar pollen allergens, Cry j 1, an immunodominant peptide which induced HLA-DPS restricted Th2 was identified. These observations suggest that the HLA-DPS may be involved, at least in part, in the pathogenesis, by helping the IgE antibody production against CPAg.
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