HLA and disease: past, present and future.

This review on human leukocyte antigens (HLA) and disease associations is divided into three parts: past, present and future. In the first part the HLA system and its (main) function are presented in an historical perspective. The second part discusses the associations between HLA alleles and disease susceptibility with their present applications and implications. In the last part it is speculated that the molecular basis of the association between HLA Class II and at least one immunopathological disease will be unravelled in the near future and that this may result in new immunopreventive and immunotherapeutic strategies.