ABSTRACT
We have identified 67 IgA deficient healthy blood donors in our region by systematic screening of 24,782 blood samples. HLA typing results on 36 of these donors indicated a significant association with both HLA-A1 and HLA-B14 antigens. The frequency of A29 and B8 antigens was also increased. However, B8 association may be secondarily involved due to linkage disequilibrium (e.g., A1-B8-DR3). The frequency of HLA-A1 and HLA-B8 antigens was increased in the group of IgA deficient donors who developed anti-IgA antibodies (53.9%) compared to those who did not (26.1%). Although the sample size appears to be too small to show a statistical significance (chi 2 = 2.76, 0.05 less than p less than 0.1), this is the first report to imply a possible HLA association with anti-IgA antibody formation by IgA deficient healthy individuals.
Subject(s)
Agammaglobulinemia/epidemiology , HLA Antigens/analysis , HLA-B Antigens , IgA Deficiency , Agammaglobulinemia/immunology , Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic/immunology , Blood Donors , HLA-A1 Antigen , HLA-B14 Antigen , Humans , Immunoglobulin A/analysis , Immunoglobulin A/immunology , Immunoglobulin M/analysis , Indiana , Transfusion ReactionABSTRACT
Utilizing the diallelic BW4-BW6 system of antigens and antibodies, we divided subjects possessing HLA-BW35 into two groups, depending on the association of their BW35 antigens with BW4 or BW6, and demonstrated in family studies that the associated antigens appeared to be inherited together. Absorption experiments were performed to establish the validity of the typings. Anti-human beta2-microglobulin was used in an effort to "map" the location of the BW4 and BW6 antigenic determinants on the HLA molecule.