HLA antigens in a family with maturity-onset type diabetes mellitus.

In a family with maturity-onset type of diabetes mellitus inherited as a dominant, autosomal trait (MODY), the HLA genotypes were compared with the glucose tolerance and the plasma insulin response to oral glucose. In the members with impaired glucose tolerance, the plasma insulin response was of the insulino-tardic type, while those with normal or borderline glucose tolerance had a normal plasma insulin response. HLA tissue typing for A, B, C and D series antigens carried out in 19 of the members showed no association between specific HLA antigens and imparied glucose tolerance. Moreover, when analysing the segregation of the disease and the HLA characters, several recombinants between MODY and HLA would have to be postulated if the gene(s) for this form of diabetes mellitus should be closely linked to the HLA locus.