Hereditary factors in Takayasu's disease.

In an attempt to provide support for the genetic link theory as related to the etiology of Takayasu's disease, we analyzed simultaneously A, B, and D loci of HLA antigens in 75 Japanese patients with the disease. Serving as control were 128 healthy Japanese. A statistically significant high frequency of BW52 and DHO was confirmed with the levels being 25.6 and 10.4, respectively, in the chi 2 test. A haplotype of A9-BW52-DHO was frequently evident in these patients as compared to the controls, and here also the statistical difference was significant. There appears to be a closer relationship of the gene to BW52 than to DHO. A survey of the homozygote of BW52 revealed 6 of 75 patients with BW52; however, statistically speaking, this rate did not differ from the expected one. Thus, our analysis of HLA illustrates the genetic factors involved in Takayasu's disease. The genes are located between the B and D loci and are closer to BW52 than DHO and these genes have a dominant character.