HLA CLASS-II ALLELES AND HETEROGENEITY OF JUVENILE RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS - DRB1-ASTERISK-0101 MAY DEFINE A NOVEL SUBSET OF THE DISEASE

Objective. To examine the distribution of HLA class II alleles in clinically distinct juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) subsets. Methods. We typed 298 patients and 181 controls for HLA-DRB1, DQA1, DQB1, and DPB1 alleles using polymerase chain reaction and oligonucleotide probe techniques. Results. Each JRA subset was characterized by a distinct distribution of HLA class II alleles. For the persistently pauciarticular and rheumatoid factor-negative polyarticular JRA subsets, certain combinations of DRB1 and DPB1 alleles were characteristic. In patients without antinuclear antibodies and chronic iridocyclitis, there was an increase of DRB1*0101102 and DQA1*0101. Conclusion. Findings of HLA typing support clinical subdivisions of the disease and suggest the existence of a novel DRB1*0101/02 and DQA1*0101 associated disease subset.