Month of birth, HLA-DRB1*15 locus and risk of multiple sclerosis in offspring. / Mes de nacimiento, HLA-DRB1 y riesgo de esclerosis multiple en la descendencia.

INTRODUCTION: A relationship among April births, HLA-DRB1*15:01 genotype and risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) has been described. We aim to determine this association in our cohort of Spanish MS patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We genotyped HLA-DRB1*15:01 allele in 326 MS patients and 226 controls (non-neurological disease patients) by SSP-PCR and compared month of birth with local births during the same period. RESULTS: MS patients carrying HLA-DRB1*15 allele were more frequently born in December (10.3% HLA-DRB1*15+ vs. 3.8% HLA-DRB1*15-; p = 0.019). Controls carrying HLA-DRB1*15 allele were less frequently born in December than non-carrier controls (0% HLA-DRB1*15+ vs. 10.3% HLA-DRB1*15-; p = 0.028). Thus, December was confirmed as the common month of birth for HLA-DRB1*15-non-carrier controls and MS HLA-DRB1*15-carrier patients. CONCLUSIONS: Month of birth, HLA-DRB1 genotype and risk of MS are associated. In Spain, this association was found in December, supporting the potential interaction of a seasonal risk factor in winter, inside/close to HLA-DRB1*15 locus, during pregnancy or after birth.

TITLE: Mes de nacimiento, HLA-DRB1 y riesgo de esclerosis multiple en la descendencia.Introduccion. El haplotipo HLA-DRB1*1501 es el marcador genetico que se ha asociado con un riesgo tres veces mayor de padecer esclerosis multiple (EM) en caucasicos occidentales. Recientemente se ha sabido que hay una asociacion entre el mes de nacimiento en abril, el genotipo HLA-DRB1 y el riesgo de EM en paises del norte de Europa y Canada. Esto apoya la teoria de que debe haber una interaccion entre un factor de riesgo estacional con un locus cercano al HLA-DRB1*15 durante la gestacion o cerca del posparto. Sujetos y metodos. Se realizo el genotipado de la presencia y subtipo de HLA-DRB1*1501 en 326 pacientes de dos centros espa˜oles y en 226 controles sin patologia neurologica. Se compararon los meses de nacimiento de la muestra de pacientes con los nacimientos mensuales locales en los mismos periodos. Resultados. Comparados los pacientes con EM que eran portadores del alelo HLA-DRB1*15 (10,3%) frente a los pacientes no portadores (3,8%), significativamente mas pacientes nacian en diciembre (p = 0,0185). Tambien se confirmaba el mismo mes de nacimiento de diciembre entre sanos portadores frente a no portadores de HLA-DRB1*15 y entre pacientes portadores de HLA-DRB1*15 frente a sanos. Conclusiones. El mes de nacimiento, el genotipo HLA-DRB1*15 y el riesgo de presentar EM estan asociados. A diferencia de los resultados obtenidos en paises del norte de Europa, donde esta asociacion se ha encontrado en el mes de abril, en Espa˜a es en diciembre. Se demuestra la interaccion de un factor de riesgo estacional en invierno en el locus HLA-DRB1*15 o cercano a este durante la gestacion o tras el nacimiento.

Should IFN-γ, IL-17 and IL-2 be considered predictive biomarkers of acute rejection in liver and kidney transplant? Results of a multicentric study.

Acute rejection (AR) remains a major challenge in organ transplantation, and there is a need for predictive biomarkers. In the present multicenter study, we prospectively examined a series of biomarkers in liver and kidney recipients. Intracellular expression of IFN-γ, IL-17 and IL-2 and IL-17 soluble production were evaluated both pre-transplantation and post-transplantation (1st and 2nd week, 1st, 2nd and 3rd month). 142 transplant patients (63 liver/79 kidney) were included in the study. Twenty-eight recipients (14 liver/14 kidney) developed AR. Pre- and post-transplantation intracellular expression of %IFN-γ(+) in CD4(+)CD69(+) and in CD8(+)CD69(+) and soluble IL17 identified liver and kidney transplant patients at high risk of AR. Pre-transplantation, %IL-2(+) in CD8(+)CD69(+) also identified kidney patients at high risk. We constructed pre- and post-transplantation risk prediction models, based on a composite panel of biomarkers, which could provide the basis for future studies and will be a useful tool for the selection and adjustment of immunosuppressive treatments.

A new HLA-B allele, HLA-B*4068, identified in an Equatorian individual.

HLA-B*4068 shares exon 2 with HLA-B*4008 and exon 3 with HLA-B*4004.

Differential contribution of HLA-DR, DQ, and TAP2 alleles to systemic lupus erythematosus susceptibility in Spanish patients: role of TAP2*01 alleles in Ro autoantibody production.

OBJECTIVE: To study the influence MHC class II and TAP2 alleles exert on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) susceptibility and on the clinical and serological manifestations of the disease, in a cohort of Spanish patients. METHODS: HLA-DR serological typing and HLA-DQA, DQB, and TAP2 DNA sequence specific oligotyping, were carried out in 85 unrelated Spanish SLE patients and 186 healthy controls. Autoantibodies detection was carried out by indirect immunofluorescence and counter immunoelectrophoresis. RESULTS: Total SLE group: the frequency of HLA-DR3 and HLA-DQA1*0501 is significantly increased in this group (pc < 0.005, delta = 0.34 and pc < 0.005, delta = 0.45, respectively) although the highest delta value (delta = 0.87) is obtained when the TAP2*01 alleles are considered. No DQB allele shows significant deviation from the control group. Renal damage: it mainly occurs in HLA-DR3 patients (pc < 0.0005 and delta = 0.72). HLA-DQA1*0501 (p < 0.05, delta = 0.57 and DQB1*0201 (pc NS, delta = 0.56) are weaker susceptibility factors. Ro+ (but not LA) group: this autoantibody response is associated with TAP2*01 alleles in homozygosity (p < 0.05, delta = 0.81). R0/La+ group: it has a different genetic background as HLA-DQA1*0501 (delta = 1) and HLA-DQB1*0201 (delta = 1) are the main susceptibility factors. CONCLUSIONS: A differential association between HLA-DR, DQA1, and DQB1 alleles and SLE or its clinical and serological manifestations are found. Furthermore, the associations are different to the ones reported in other ethnic groups. Finally, TAP2*01 group of alleles are associated with the highest susceptibility to SLE (higher than HLA-DR3) and may influence Ro (but not La) autoantibodies production, whereas HLA-DQA1*0501 and DQB1*0201 mediates concomitant Ro and La productions.