HLA antigens in Greek children with allergic bronchial asthma.

The aim of our study was to investigate the genetic linkage between mite allergic bronchial asthma and HLA class I and II antigens and haplotypes. Sixty Greek children with allergic bronchial asthma due to mite sensitivity (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae) and their family members were typed for HLA class I and II antigens (total 263 subjects). One hundred and twenty-five healthy, unrelated Greek children without medical history of atopy were also typed as control group. Major histocompatibility complex class I and II gene analysis revealed that only HLA-DRB1*04 and HLA-DQA1*0301 alleles are possibly important factors in the development of atopic asthma in Greek children with sensitivity to mites. No significant differences among the HLA-DRB1*04 subtypes have been established. Transmission disequilibrium test revealed that no specific HLA-A, -B, -DRB1, -DQA1 and -DQB1 alleles were transmitted preferentially to the affected children. HLA-DQB1*0301-4 alleles were associated with high levels of total serum immunoglobulin E in affected children. The study of the HLA haplotypes failed to demonstrate any significant association between any extended or natural selection haplotype and mite allergic bronchial asthma in Greek children.

Insulin secretion decline unrelated to jejunal morphology or exocrine pancreatic function in children with celiac disease.

We describe a prospective 10-year study of insulin secretion and immunologic changes in a group of children with celiac disease (CD) on a gluten-free diet. Thirty CD patients aged 4-16 years and 30 matched controls were examined. They underwent i.v. glucose tolerance test during which glucose disappearance rate (K) and first phase insulin response (FPIR) were measured. Typing for HLA A, B, C, and DR antigens was performed and sera were analyzed for cytoplasmic islet cell antibodies (ICA) on several occasions. Pancreatic isoamylase (PIA) was measured to assess exocrine pancreatic function. In 4/21 CD children, FPIR and K rate were decreased. There was a significant correlation between the two parameters (p < 0.01). The incidence of HLA B8 and DR3 was higher in CD (33% and 60%, respectively) than in healthy individuals (p < 0.001). All patients were found to be ICA negative at the time of the study and at follow-up. There was no correlation between parameters of endocrine (FPIR, K) and exocrine (PIA) pancreatic function. One out of four children with reduced FPIR developed overt DM during the study. In conclusion, the decline of first phase insulin secretion documented in CD patients is unrelated to jejunal morphology or exocrine pancreatic function. This decline may be an expression of a prediabetic phase as observed in one of the subjects who finally developed IDDM. HLA B8 and DR3, which are detected in celiac patients, may indicate a possible common pathogenic mechanism between CD and IDDM.

Frequency of HLA antigens in Graves' hyperthyroidism and mitral valve prolapse.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS OF THE STUDY: An association between Graves' hyperthyroidism (G) and mitral valve prolapse (MVP) has been reported, but possible genetic linkage between the two disorders has not. METHODS: One hundred and five patients (pts) with G were studied after therapy, in a euthyroid state. MVP (auscultatory plus echocardiographic findings) was present in 33 pts (31%). Frequency of human lymphocyte antigens (HLA) in pts with G and in pts with G plus MVP was compared to 170 normal subjects (NL). There was no difference in HLA-A antigens among the three groups. RESULTS: The frequency of HLA B-15 was greater in pts with G plus MVP (18.9%) compared to NL (3%) and to G without MVP (4.2), p < 0.01. The frequency of HLA-B39 was greater in G without MVP (13.8%) compared to NL (4.1%), p < 0.01. The HLA DRB1*1601-2 was more frequent in G with (30.3%) or without (29.2%) MVP compared to NL (13.5%), p < 0.01. The frequency of HLA DRB1*1401-10 and DQA1*0104 were greater in NL (16.5%) compared to G with (3.0%) or without (4.2%) MVP, p < 0.01. CONCLUSIONS: The data confirmed previous observations that the frequency of MVP is high in pts with G. Further, the data indicated a possible genetic linkage between the two abnormalities.

HLA class II DNA-RFLP typing in 102 individuals from Northern Greece.

The serological identification of HLA class II alleles is often doubtful. Since accurate HLA typing is essential for the matching of donor-recipient pairs in allogeneic transplantation, an effort was made to establish DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) typing and to assess the correlation between the serological and RFLP techniques in the population of Northern Greece. One hundred and two healthy individuals (204 HLA-DR alleles) from Northern Greece were HLA-DR, DQ typed with both the microcytotoxicity and the Taq I RFLP method, using three exon-specific probes. DNA-RFLP typing revealed (1) concordant results with serology in 69.9% (142/204) of the alleles and (2) at least one HLA-DR allele discrepant to serology in 30.4% (62/204) of the alleles. Incorrect serological DR types (weak reactions or inability to distinguish between two alleles with a common epitope) were identified in 54 alleles (26.5%), while 3.9% (8/204) of serological "blank" alleles turned out to be definable alleles by RFPL. Of the individuals tested, 10.8% (11/102) were DR-homozygous by RFLP. This comparison of results obtained by serology and RFLP demonstrated the necessity of the clinical application of DNA typing, especially for organ transplantation where accurate HLA typing has an important influence on graft survival.

[Serum immunoglobulins IgA, IgG and IgM, and oral lichen planus]. / Prosdiorismos ton apososphairinon tou orou IgA, IgG kai IgM se astheneis me omalo leichena tou stomatos.

Oral lichen planus is a common dermatosis with oral manifestations. It is widely accepted that its unknown pathogenetic mechanism has an immunological background although the exact immune mechanism involved is not clear. In our research we attempted to estimate the participation of humoral immunity in the pathogenesis of the disease, comparing the levels of serum immunoglobulins IgG, IgA and IgM between a group of 24 patients with oral lichen planus and a group of 19 healthy individuals. Our results revealed no differences for immunoglobulins IgG and IgM (p greater than 0.05) but increased values of IgA were found (p less than 0.05). It is therefore concluded that humoral immunity is involved in lichen planus but it is difficult to explain its exact participation.

[Hyperhaplotypes of A, B and DR loci of HLA region in patients with recurrent aphthous ulceration]. / Helegchos hyperaplotypon ton HLA antigonon tes A, B kai DR gonidiakes theses tes HLA perioches se astheneis mehypotropiazouses aphthes.

Recurrent aphthous ulceration is a common disease affecting 10% of the general population. It is speculated that there is a genetic predisposition for the disease and for this reason HLA antigens may be involved. In our research we investigated 103 Greek patients suffering from recurrent aphthous ulcers (RAU) ranging in age from 13 to 60 years. For controls 242 individuals were tested the same period with no medical history of RAU. In our results we found that haplotype A2B12DR5 was statistically significantly increased in patients (p less than 0.05) thus considering this haplotype as a genetic marker for the disease in Greek patients.

[Antigen HLA-B5 in Adamantiadès-Behçet syndrome (author's transl)]. / Le HLA-B5 antigène dans le syndrome d'Adamantiadès-Behçet, sa valeur diagnostique à propos de 4 cas atypiques).

Among 16 cases clinicaly diagnosed as Adamantiadès-Behçet syndrome coming from various areas of Northern Greece, antigen HLA-B5 was found on 12, i.e. 75% instead of 18,5% in the normal population of the same areas (200 subjects were examined by Dr. Z. Polymenidis in this thesis). On 3 other cases the antigen found was HLA-BW35 (belonging to group C4), while on the last one the antigen was HLA-B27. 4 cases, suspicious for atypical Adamantiadès-Behçet syndrome, are reported in which the discovery of antigen HLA-B5 inhanced the clinical diagnosis of the syndrome and made possible the early application of suitable treatment (steroids, immunosupressors).