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Association and frequency of HLA-A, B and HLA-DR genes in south Tunisian patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA)

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the association of HLA-A, B and HLA-DR gene expression and to assess an association of additional HLA antigens besides HLA-B27 in south Tunisian patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA). Eighty-five patients diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS, n = 68) and reactive arthrithis (ReA, n = 17) were selected and compared with 100 healthy controls (HC). HLA class I antigens were typed serologically using microlymphocytotoxicity technique. HLA-DRB1* alleles were studied by polymerase chain reaction amplification with sequence-specific primers. The significance of differences between patients and controls was tested by chi-square analysis. We found significantly increased frequencies of HLA-A3 (30.6%; pC = 0.04; OR = 2.95), HLA-B27 (62.35%; pC = 4.10−17, OR = 53.55), and HLA-DRB1*15 (17.2%; pC = 0.026; RR = 2.58) alleles in SpA patients compared to HC. The most frequent and strongest association was observed for HLA-B27 in AS (pC = 6.6 × 10−16, OR = 52.23). When AS and ReA patients were analysed separately, HLA-DRB1*15 and HLA-A3 were increased only in AS (pC = 0.01, OR = 2.99 and pC = 0.03, OR = 3.14, respectively). In ReA patients, HLA-DRB1*04 (p = 0.033, pC = NS, OR = 2.89) was found to be the most common allele. By analysing the HLA-B27-negative subgroup, HLA-A3 and HLA-DRB1*15 expression was found to be dependent on the presence of HLA-B27. HLA-B27 expression was higher in male (45/53; 85%) as compared to female (8/53; 15%) patients (p = 0.03). Apart from HLA-B27, HLA-A3 and HLA-DRB1*15 are the MHC class I and II alleles found most frequent in Tunisian patients with AS, whereas HLA-DRB1*04 was found most frequent in ReA patients. HLA-B27 is more frequent in male than in female patients.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Mouna Sellami (EPS Hédi chaker, Sfax) for helping in the conception, the design and coordination of the study. We thank Ilhem Cheour (Tunis), Nihel Meddeb (Tunis), Mohamed Moalla (Tunis) and Imed kolsi (Sfax) for providing patients. This project was supported by grants from the Ministry of Research and Development of Tunisia with participation of funds from the Ministry of Health of Tunisia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service de laboratoire, EPS Hédi chaker, Sfax, Tunisia

    Nadia Mahfoudh, Arwa Kammoun, Lilia Gaddour, Faiza Hakim & Hafedh Makni

  2. Laboratoire de recherche ‘Micro-organismes et Pathologie Humaine’, EPS Habib BOURGUIBA de Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia

    Mariam Siala, Radhouane Gdoura & Adnene Hammami

  3. Clinic for Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School (MHH), 30625, Hannover, Germany

    Markus Rihl

  4. Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Markus Rihl

  5. Service de Medecine Interne, Hôpital Hedi chaker de Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia

    Faten Frikha & Zouheir Bahloul

  6. Service de rhumatologie, EPS Hédi chaker de Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia

    Hela Fourati & Sofien Baklouti

  7. Service de rhumatologie EPS Fattouma BOURGUIBA de Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia

    Mohamed Younes & Naceur Bargaoui

  8. Service de Rhumatologie, EPS La Rabta, Tunis, Tunisia

    Sleheddine Sellami

Authors
  1. Nadia Mahfoudh
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  2. Mariam Siala
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  3. Markus Rihl
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  4. Arwa Kammoun
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  6. Hela Fourati
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  7. Mohamed Younes
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  9. Lilia Gaddour
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  10. Faiza Hakim
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  11. Zouheir Bahloul
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  13. Naceur Bargaoui
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  14. Sleheddine Sellami
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  15. Adnene Hammami
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  16. Hafedh Makni
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hafedh Makni.

Additional information

The first two authors (Dr. Nadia Mahfoudh and Dr. Mariam Siala) are sharing their first authorship; NM and MS have equally contributed to this work.

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Mahfoudh, N., Siala, M., Rihl, M. et al. Association and frequency of HLA-A, B and HLA-DR genes in south Tunisian patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA). Clin Rheumatol 30, 1069–1073 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-011-1705-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-011-1705-6

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