Preferential Transmission of Diabetic Alleles within the HLA Gene Complex

Abstract
Several studies suggest a higher incidence of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) among the offspring of men with the disease than among those of female diabetics. Differential transmission by the father of genes that predispose to diabetes may explain this phenomenon. To test this hypothesis, we examined parent-to-offspring transmission of HLA haplotypes and DR (D-related) alleles in 107 nuclear families in which a child had IDDM.