Abstract: HLA Antigens and Primary Osteoarthritis of the Hand

HLA Antigens and Primary Osteoarthritis of the Hand

DANIELA MERLOTTI, CLORINDA SANTACROCE, LUIGI GENNARI, SIMONE GERACI, VINCENZO ACQUAFREDDA, TULLIO CONTI, GIANLUCA BARGAGLI, NORBERTO DAL CANTO, FEDERICA BIAGI, CARLO GENNARI, and NICOLA GIORDANO

ABSTRACT.

Objective. Many studies have examined genetic factors associated with either development or severity of primary osteoarthritis (OA). Analyses of the frequencies of HLA antigens in various OA populations have yielded conflicting results; an increased frequency of HLA-A1, B8, and DR4 alleles has been suggested. We investigated the interrelationship between HLA antigens and primary OA.

Methods. We analyzed the frequency of HLA-A, B, C, DR, and DQ antigens in 95 patients (82 women, 13 men) with primary OA of the hands compared to 200 controls matched for age, sex, and ethnicity. Class I and Class II HLA antigens were evaluated using conventional serologic typing.

Results. No statistically significant difference in the distribution of HLA-A1 and B8 antigens was observed in patients with OA compared to controls. By contrast, HLA-B35, B40, DQ1, and CW4 antigens were overrepresented in the OA patients. Haplotype analysis showed an association of B35-DQ1, B40-DQ1, and DR2-DQ1 with increased OA risk.

Conclusion. Our results suggest a role of the HLA system in the etiopathogenesis of primary OA of the hand. (J Rheumatol 2003;30:1298-304)

Key Indexing Terms:

HLA ANTIGENS
PRIMARY OSTEOARTHRITIS
GENETICS

From the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Siena, and the Unit of Immunohematology and Transfusional Center, Hospital of Siena, Siena, Italy.

D. Merlotti, MD; C. Santacroce, MD; L. Gennari, MD; S. Geraci, MD; G. Bargagli, MD; N. Dal Canto, MD; F. Biagi, MD; C. Gennari, MD; N. Giordano, MD, Department of Internal Medicine; V. Acquafredda, PhD; T. Conti, PhD, Unit of Immunohematology and Transfusional Center.

Address reprint requests to Dr. N. Giordano, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Siena, Viale Bracci 1, 53100 Siena, Italy. E-mail: giordanon@unisi.it

Submitted March 20, 2002; revision accepted November 18, 2002.