The association of HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 alleles with genetic susceptibility to multiple sclerosis in the Slovak population.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to assess the association between HLA-DRB1 and -DQB1 allele groups with the genetic predisposition to multiple sclerosis (MS) in the Caucasian Central European Slovak population.

METHODS: A total of 282 unrelated patients with sporadic MS were enrolled in this case-control study. HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 allele groups were genotyped using a polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers. The DRB1 and DQB1 allele carrier frequencies, genotypes and haplotype frequencies were compared between MS cases and healthy controls.

RESULTS: Positive association with MS was found for alleles HLA-DRB1*15 (OR = 3.64; Pcor = 6.9x10-11), DRB1*03 (after elimination of carriers of DRB1*15, OR = 2.8; Pcor = 0.0029), DQB1*06 (OR = 1.99; Pcor = 7.0x10-4), genotypes HLA-DRB1*15/*15 (OR = 7.6; Pcor = 0.001) and DQB1*06/*06 (OR = 3.81; Pcor = 4.0x10-4) and for haplotype DRB1*15-DQB1*06 (OR = 3.03; Pcor = 0.001). Carriage of alleles DRB1*07 (OR = 0.53; Pcor = 0.04), DRB1*13 (OR = 0.39; Pcor = 4.0x10-4), DQB1*03 (OR = 0.46; Pcor = 1.0x10-4), genotypes HLA-DRB1*13/*11 (OR = 0.12; Pcor = 0.004), DQB1*05/*03 (OR = 0.39; Pcor = 0.035), DQB1*03/*03 (OR = 0.38; Pcor = 0.029) and haplotypes DRB1*13-DQB1*06 (OR = 0.47; Pcor = 0.0128) and DRB1*11-DQB1*03 (OR = 0.58; Pcor = 0.0352) was found to be protective against MS development.

DISCUSSION: This is the first study performed to analyse the association of HLA-DRB1/DQB1 with susceptibility to MS in Slovakia. The results of our study confirm that HLA class II alleles, genotypes and haplotypes are associated with MS risk.