ASSOCIATION OF TAP1 AND TAP2 WITH SYSTEMIC-SCLEROSIS IN JAPANESE

Objective: The contribution of polymorphism of transporter associated with antigen processing 1 and 2 (TAP1 and 2) alleles to the pathogenes is of Japanese SSc was studied. Methods: TAP1 and TAP2 typing was carr ied out in 55 Japanese SSc patients and 95 normal Japanese subjects by the PCR-RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) method. HLA-D R typing and HLA DRB115, *16 and *08 genotyping were carried out by t he PCR and the PCR-SSCP (single-stranded DNA conformation polymorphism )methods, respectively. Results: The frequencies of the TAP1A and TAP2 A alleles were significantly increased in SSc with diffuse scleroderma (100%, p < 0.005; 80.0%, p < 0.001, respectively) and in SSc with ant itopoisomerase 1 antibody (a-Scl-70), (93.2%, p = not significant (NS) ; 63.6%, p < 0.05), In contrast, the TAP1B allele was significantly de creased in diffuse scleroderma (0%, p < 0.005) and SSc with a-Scl-70 ( 4.5%, p < 0.05), and TAP2B was decreased in diffuse scleroderma (12.5% , p < 0.01). Conclusion: Association analysis among TAP1A, TAP2A and D RB11502 indicated that increases in TAP1A and TAP2A were not primary, but were reflective of an increase in HLA DRBI1502 in Japanese SSc p atients with diffuse scleroderma and SSc with a-Scl-70.