BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested an influence of HLA molecules on the regulation of the anti Mycobacterium leprae immune response. METHODS: DNA typing of HLA-DRB1 alleles in 71 leprosy patients and 81 healthy controls was performed. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood and used as a template to amplify the polymorphic second exon of the HLA-DRB1 by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR products were hybridized separately with sequence-specific oligonucleotides. RESULTS: DRB1*1401 and DRB1*1406 alleles were significantly more prevalent in leprosy patients, whereas a decreased frequency of DRB1*0808 and DRB1*1103 alleles was found, by comparison with the group control. CONCLUSIONS: The HLA-DRB1 alleles could act alone or in combination with other genes to confer differential susceptibility and also protection to leprosy disease in endemic areas of the American continent.
BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested an influence of HLA molecules on the regulation of the anti Mycobacterium leprae immune response. METHODS: DNA typing of HLA-DRB1 alleles in 71 leprosypatients and 81 healthy controls was performed. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood and used as a template to amplify the polymorphic second exon of the HLA-DRB1 by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR products were hybridized separately with sequence-specific oligonucleotides. RESULTS:DRB1*1401 and DRB1*1406 alleles were significantly more prevalent in leprosypatients, whereas a decreased frequency of DRB1*0808 and DRB1*1103 alleles was found, by comparison with the group control. CONCLUSIONS: The HLA-DRB1 alleles could act alone or in combination with other genes to confer differential susceptibility and also protection to leprosy disease in endemic areas of the American continent.