Objective-Certain human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR,DQ genotypes have been associated with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) risk, although it is unknown whether the association is due to alleles, haplotypes, genotypes, the formation of heterodimers, or all of the above. To characterize the role of the HLA-DR,DQ genotype and ethnicity on the onset age of T1DM, we analyzed these factors in patients with T1DM and the general population.Methods-One thousand three hundred twenty-two well-characterized patients with T1DM were compared with 3339 children from the general population of Denver, Colorado, USA. Because of the extensive available data across age and ethnic groups, this study population is unique.Results-The HLA-DR3/4,DQB1*0302, DRX/4,DQB1*0302 (where X = 1, 4, 8, and 9), and HLA-DR3/3 genotypes were associated with T1DM, supporting previous research. Additionally, the DR3/9 genotype showed a positive association with T1DM, which has not previously been described in Caucasian populations. The HLA-DR3/4*0302 genotype was most strongly associated with T1DM in diabetic individuals with the youngest onset age. Genotype frequencies were similar between Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites, except for the DR3/3 genotype, which was more likely to be found in non-Hispanic whites.Conclusions-These results indicate that there are multiple alleles and genotypes associated with T1DM and that the risk associated with different genetic markers depends on the age of disease onset, suggesting that some markers may be involved in more rapid disease progression.
Keywordsage of onset; ethnic groups; gene frequency; genetic predisposition to disease; genetic screening Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is an autoimmune disease resulting from destruction of insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. Genetic studies of T1DM have uncovered a major role in disease susceptibility for genes in the class II subregion of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region on the short arm of chromosome 6 (1-9). Specific HLA genotype/haplotype combinations appear to determine the extent of disease risk, as the HLA-DR4,DQB1*0302, HLA-DR3,DQB1*0201 heterozygote has the highest risk ratio for T1DM (2). This synergistic effect can be explained by the formation of certain DQ trans-dimers, which may be responsible Racial and ethnic differences exist in the incidence of T1DM, even within the same geographic area (18,19), with highest incidence rates in non-Hispanic whites as compared with other races and ethnic groups (15,(18)(19)(20). Frequencies of specific alleles and haplotypes have been found to be similar between Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites (21-23), although haplotype relative risks between the two ethnic groups differed (24,25). This could indicate the presence of ethnically different HLA-linked genetic modifiers acting upon susceptibility genotypes or an effect of genetic admixture on predisposing factors to T1DM (24-26).The incidence of T1DM peaks at 8-12 yr of age; however, the disease can be diagnosed at any age. It has been hypothesi...