Genetic associations between myasthenia gravis and the HL-A system.

Abstract

SYNOPSIS HL-A antigens were determined in 159 myasthenic patients, 112 of whom were females and 47 males. Fifty-seven patients were thymectomized. The relationship between 23 different HL-A antigens and myasthenia gravis (MG) with reference to sex, age at onset, clinical course of MG, thymus histology, and auxiliary diseases of the patients, as well as the significance of these antigens to 245 relatives of myasthenics, were analysed. The frequencies of HL-A1 and HL-A8 were highly significantly higher in myasthenic patients than in normal Finnish controls. The increase of HL-A1 is secondary and due to a strong linkage disequilibrium between HL-A8 and HL-Al. HL-A8 appeared most often in females with onset of MG before the age of 35 years, and inpatients with thymus hyperplasia. No significant HL-A deviations were found in males or in females with later onset of disease. In seven thymoma patients the occurrence of W1O antigen was almost significantly increased.

HLA antigens and atopy in children with coeliac disease.

“…A similar phenomenon of autoimmune predisposition partly independent of the HLA system has been observed in myasthenia gravis. 17 It is interesting to note that there is little or no relation between HLA-DR7 and atopy in coeliac disease patients. This may be taken to indicate that the mechanisms by which DR3 and DR7 render their carriers vulnerable to coeliac disease are separate and different.…”

HLA Class II and class I polymorphism in venezuelan patients with myasthenia gravis

“…The association with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antigens has been known since the early 1970s [6,7]. However, the nature and the intensity of the association vary depending on sex, age at disease onset, and thymic histology of the patients [8], and differ between Caucasian and Oriental populations [9,10].…”

HLA antigens in Japanese patients with myasthenia gravis.

“…In Caucasians, a number of studies showed firm association between this disorder and HLA-A1, B8, and DR3 (3)(4)(5). In Orientals, however, the association has been ambiguous.…”

“…One of the important features in this disorder is its strong association with the HLA antigens (2)(3)(4). In Caucasians, a number of studies showed firm association between this disorder and HLA-A1, B8, and DR3 (3)(4)(5).…”