INCREASED FREQUENCY OF HLA-BW62 AND BW35 CREG ANTIGENS IN HLA-B27 NEGATIVE ANKYLOSING-SPONDYLITIS

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 43  (5) , 253-257
Abstract
Patients (67) with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) were tissue-typed for HLA-A, -B and -C antigens. HLA-Bw62 was found in 6 of 13 (46%) HLA-B27 negative patients, compared to 9% in HLA-B27 positive AS (P > 0.01) and 10% in healthy blood donors (P > 0.001). HLA-Bw62, a split of the previous HLA-B15, belongs to the HLA-Bw35 CREG antigens. Eleven of 13 (85%) of HLA-B27 negative patients had an HLA-Bw35 CREG antigen. The present results are interpreted as an indication of a direct involvement of the HLA-Bw locus in the pathogenesis of AS.