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Associations between a large number of diseases and markers within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) have been described. In particular, susceptibility to several autoimmune disorders, including type I diabetes mellitus and rheumatoid arthritis, is linked to genes within the MHC and strong population associations are demonstrable between certain HLA class II alleles and these conditions. Genetic mapping of HLA susceptibility loci has traditionally relied on the use of phenotypic markers defined by alloantisera, cellular typing reagents and biochemical analysis of histocompatibility antigens. Polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific oligonucleotide (PCR-SSO) typing combines the ability to define the finest of HLA specificities, by analysis of the corresponding DNA sequences, with the possibility of study large populations of normal and affected individuals. The applications of this technology to characterizing precisely the MHC loci associated with susceptibility to autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, type I diabetes mellitus, coeliac disease and pemphigus vulgaris are reviewed here.

Type

Journal article

Journal

Eur J Immunogenet

Publication Date

02/1991

Volume

18

Pages

139 - 146

Keywords

Alleles, Arthritis, Rheumatoid, Autoimmune Diseases, Celiac Disease, DNA Probes, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1, Genetic Markers, HLA Antigens, Histocompatibility Testing, Humans, Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Pemphigus, Polymerase Chain Reaction