Susceptibility to toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis is associated with HLA alleles reported to be implicated with rapid progression to AIDS.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The frequency of HLA markers associated with rapid progression to AIDS was evaluated in Brazilian patients with AIDS exhibiting or not toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis (TRC). METHODS: 98 AIDS patients (25 with TRC, 43 with anti-T. gondii antibodies but without TCR, and 30 without anti-T. gondii antibodies and without TCR) were studied. RESULTS: The HLA-B35 was significantly increased in TRC group (p=0.0038). CONCLUSION: The presence of HLA-B35 may simultaneously predispose to progression to AIDS and TRC.

Pustulosis acuta generalisata with joint involvement in an HLA-A2- and HLA-B35-positive patient.

Pustulosis acuta generalisata (PAG) is a rare poststreptococcal disease of the skin, which has been reported in children and adults after streptococcal throat infection. Herein, we report on the case of a 47-year-old woman with typical clinical and histologic findings of PAG emerging after a pharyngeal infection in whom inflammatory joint-involvement developed. The patient was found to be HLA-A2 and HLA-B35 positive. Whereas HLA-B35 might be associated with pustular skin diseases, HLA-A2 is a risk factor for the development of rheumatoid arthritis.

Association of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection with HLA-B*35 in patients with coronary artery disease.

The immune system may interplay between Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and coronary artery disease (CAD). Major histocompatibility complex genes regulate innate and adaptive immunity. Patients with CAD (n = 100) and controls (n = 74) were enrolled. Human leukocyte antigens (HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-DRB1), four lymphotoxin alpha single-nucleotide polymorphisms, and complement C4A and C4B allotypes were typed, and their haplotypes were inferred. The presence of serum C. pneumoniae immunoglobulin A (IgA) (titer, > or =40) or IgG (titer, > or =128) antibodies or immune complex (IC)-bound IgG antibodies (titer, > or =2) was considered to be a serological marker suggesting chronic C. pneumoniae infection. C. pneumoniae IgA antibodies were found more frequently in patients than in controls (P = 0.04). Among the patients, multiple logistic regression analysis showed the HLA-B*35 allele to be the strongest-risk gene for C. pneumoniae infection (odds ratio, 7.88; 95% confidence interval, 2.44 to 25.43; P = 0.0006). Markers of C. pneumoniae infection were found more frequently in patients with the HLA-A*03-B*35 haplotype than in those without the haplotype (P = 0.007 for IgA; P = 0.008 for IgG; P = 0.002 for IC). Smokers with HLA-B*35 or HLA-A*03-B*35 had markers of C. pneumoniae infection that appeared more often than in smokers without these genes (P = 0.003 and P = 0.001, respectively). No associations were found in controls. In conclusion, HLA-B*35 may be the link between chronic C. pneumoniae infection and CAD.

Campylobacter jejuni O:19 serotype-associated Guillain-Barré syndrome in a child: the first case reported from Greece.

We present a case of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) following Campylobacter jejuni HS serotype O:19 infection in a child. Antibodies against C. jejuni and autoantibodies to the peripheral nerve gangliosides GM1 were positive, a pattern correlating well with the existence of an inflammatory neuropathy like GBS. The patient shared the HLA-B35 and HLA-DR8 antigens, which have been found to be increased in GBS patients with previous C. jejuni infection. As this is the first diagnosed C. jejuni-associated GBS case reported from Greece, further clinical and epidemiologic investigations are warranted.

Association of class I HLA antigens with the clinical manifestations of Turkish patients with Behçet's disease.

Genetic factors appear to be important in the pathogenesis of Behçet's disease. Although it is known to be strongly associated with HLA-B 51, the association of HLA class I antigens with specific clinical findings of the disease has not been studied extensively and the few studies are conflicting. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of HLA class I alleles with the manifestations of Behçet's disease in Turkish patients. Eighty-five patients with Behçet's disease were typed for HLA-A, B, and C antigens with the serologic, standard microlymphocytotoxicity technique. Possible associations of the HLA complex with clinical findings of Behçet's disease were examined. Statistically significant findings are as follows (P < 0.05): increased HLA-B 51 and decreased HLA-B35 frequency in patients with thrombophlebitis, increased HLA-A29 and decreased HLA-Bw6 frequency in patients with ocular involvement, decreased HLA-Cw2 frequency in patients with erythema nodosum, and decreased HLA-Cw 7 frequency in patients with genital ulceration. Of particular note, the results of this study suggest that the presence of HLA-B 51 and the absence of HLA-B35 can be regarded as laboratory risk factors of venous thrombosis in patients with Behçet's disease.

A common HLA phenotype in slipped capital femoral epiphysis?

Studies from three different countries have linked the HLA B12 and DR4 antigens with slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE). We questioned whether our patients shared in common either of these antigens. HLA phenotype was determined in 7 patients with SCFE, two of whom were brothers with almost identical haplotypes. The B12 antigen was found in none of our patients and the DR4 in only 3. Neither of the 2 brothers held the DR4 antigen. The commonest antigens (also shared by the 2 brothers) were B35, present in 5 and DR52 in 4 of 7 patients. We conclude that neither the previously described B12 nor the DR4 antigen can reliably serve as genetic markers for SCFE in our region.

The relative distribution of B35 alleles and their IEF isotypes in a HLA-B35-positive population.

The HLA-B35 serotype represents a group of antigens detectable by IEF, cytotoxic T cells, and by sequencing analysis. Four isotypes and eight alleles have been thus far reported. We have determined the relative frequencies of these B35 subtypes in a group of 203 unrelated people. Dot blot hybridization of PCR amplified products was performed using 23 sequence-specific oligo probes designed based on the EMBL HLA class I sequence database. The amplification was achieved by a pair of group-specific primers, producing approximately 600 bp fragments. By hybridization pattern analysis, we found that four alleles represent over 95% of the B35+ population, with relative frequency of 48.2% for B*3501, 23.7% for B*3502, 15.2% for B*3503, and 8.0% for B*3508. We also identified 3 individuals with B*3504 and one with B*3505, and seven samples with new patterns. B*3501 and B*3503 exactly correlated with the most common isotype B35.3, B*3502 and B*3504 with B35.2, B*3508 may be the B35.1 IEF isotype. The B*3505 was identified from an individual with B35 IEF variant form. Our study shows that the B35 antigen has a wide distribution of alleles, and that many more B35-related alleles may yet to be uncovered.

[Relationship of histocompatibility groups to chronic HBV infections]. / Kronik HBV enfeksiyonu ile doku gruplari arasindaki iliski.

HLA-A, B, C and DR locus specificities studied in 168 patients (71 Chronic active Hepatitis, 97 Chronic Persistent Hepatitis) serologically and histopathologically proven Chronic Hepatitis B Virus infection. There were 113 men and 55 women with a mean age of 23.2 (21-52) years. Hundred and seventy four healthy subjects (107 men, 67 women) included in control group with a mean age of 26.4 (20-54) years. The frequency of HLA A3 (p < 0.01), HLA A11 (p < 0.01), HLA B35 (p < 0.05) and HLA B51 (p < 0.01) were significantly higher in patients than in healthy control subjects. Comparisons among the other HLA-A, B, C and DR locus were found to be statistically non-significant.

Human leukocyte antigens in Fisher's syndrome.

We performed human leukocyte antigens (HLA) typing for class I antigens on 19 Japanese patients with Fisher's syndrome. We demonstrated a statistically significant association between the disease and the HLA-B39 antigen.

[The association of human leucocyte antigen (HLA) with posthepatitic cirrhosis].

HLA class I and class II antigens from 61 patients with posthepatitic cirrhosis and 29 HBsAg healthy carrier were examined by using the standard serum including 105 specificities in A, B, C, DQ and DR Loci of HLA provided by the 11th International Histocompatibility Workshop. The results showed the frequencies of HLA-B35 and DR3 were elevated in posthepatitic cirrhosis group as compared with the healthy control group (P < 0.001). The data showed that the frequencies of HLA-B8, C1 were significantly increased, while those of HLA--DR8 more significantly decreased in posthepatitic cirrhotic patients than in health virus carriers. Compared to the healthy controls, however, the frequencies of all 105 HLA specificities examined were identical to healthy carriers.

HLA-B35 is associated with accelerated progression to AIDS.

To investigate the influence of HLA specificities on the rate of progression and outcome of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, we performed (a) a case-control study in 1989-1990 of HIV-seropositive individuals stratified by both risk behavior and ethnic background, (b) a longitudinal cohort study of HIV-infected male homosexuals enrolled in 1981-1982, and (c) an analysis of individuals with a diffuse infiltrative CD8 lymphocytosis syndrome. In the case-control study, there was a significantly higher frequency of HLA-B35 among intravenous drug users, but not homosexuals, who developed illnesses meeting the case definition for AIDS compared with asymptomatic HIV-positive controls, regardless of ethnic status. In the longitudinal study, HLA-B35-positive homosexuals had a significantly increased rate of progression to AIDS and decreased survival over a 7-year period compared with those without this specificity. Finally, there was a significantly decreased frequency of HLA-B35 in individuals with the diffuse infiltrative lymphocytosis syndrome, a clinically and genetically distinctive disorder occurring in HIV infection in which a low rate of progression to opportunistic infections was found. The high rate of salivary and lacrimal gland lymphoma in this group suggests that there is dissociation between the presence of HLA-B35 and the development of particular AIDS-defining conditions. We conclude that HLA-B35 is a risk factor for more rapid progression to AIDS, particularly opportunistic infections and Kaposi's sarcoma, operating in groups with high rates of newly acquired HIV infections such as New York City male homosexuals in 1981-1982, and intravenous drug users in 1989-1990.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[HLA antigens in cleft lip-palate patients]. / HLA-Antigene bei Lippen-Kiefer-Gaumenspalten.

HLA typing of 50 patients with cleft lip and/or cleft palate (50 HLA-ABC and 35 HLA-DR tests) and, in part, also of their families showed an increased frequency of the antigens HLA-AII, DRw6 and the haplotype HLA-A11, B35 as against the normal population. Disorders of wound healing were observed more frequently in patients with HLA antigens A11 and B15 than in those without these antigens. Based on these hints of an HLA association (p values after correction are not significant), and the frequent coincidence of HLA-DR antigen in the patients' parents, as well as the increased rate of HLA-DR homozygosity of the patients, it is assumed that genetic factors of the HLA complex or an HLA-linked complex play a part in the etiology of clefts of the lip and cleft palate.

The diagnostic and prognostic value of HLA B 35 antigen in viral subacute thyroiditis.

HLA B 35 antigen was assessed in 19 patients with viral subacute thyroiditis. The antigen was present in 68.43% of patients (no = 13). The relative risk (vs 500 health blood donors) is very high (12.27), with X2 = 33.4 and p less than 0.001. Despite the high relative risk, the presence/absence of HLA B 35 antigen showed no correlations with the main clinical features in our patients; no correlations can be made for: erythrocyte sedimentation rate, radioiodine uptake, thyromegaly, hyperthyroidism and evolution.