Objective: The contribution of polymorphism of DMA and DMB alleles to the pathogenesis of Japanese RA was studied. The association of DM alleles with HLA-DRB1*0405 and *0802, which were positively and negatively susceptible to Japanese RA, respectively, is also discussed.
Methods: DMA and DMB typing was carried out in 91 Japanese RA patients and in 77 normal subjects by the PCR-RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) method. HLA-DRB1*04 and *08 genotyping were carried out by the PCR-SSCP (single-stranded DNA conformation polymorphism) method.
Results: Allele frequencies of DMB*0101 and DMB*0102 were slightly higher (52.2% and 27.0%) and the allele frequency of DMB*0103 was slightly lower (25.8%) in RA, but these differences were not significant. The increase of DMB*0102 was due to a negative association with HLA-DRB1*0802 [p < 0.05, pc = not significant (NS)]. The decrease of DMB*0103 was due to a positive association with DRB1*0802 (p < 0.005, pc < 0.05). The increase of DMB*0101 was possibly due to a weak association with HLA-DRB1*0405, (p = NS). Positivity of rheumatoid factor did not affect the prevalence of DMA and DMB alleles.
Conclusion: Association analysis among DMA, DMB and DRB1 (*0405 and *0802) indicate that slight increases or decreases in DMB*0101, DMB*0102 and DMB*0103 are not primary indicators but reflect an increase in HLA-DRB1* 0405 and a decrease in HLA-DRB1*0802 in Japanese RA.