HLA HAPLOTYPES AND CLASS-II MOLECULAR ALLELES IN SARDINIAN AND ITALIAN PATIENTS WITH PEMPHIGUS-VULGARIS

HLA class II antigens and DRB1, DQA1, DQB1 alleles were studied in 16 Italian and in 16 Sardinian patients with pemphigus vulgaris (PV). In the last group the complete HLA A-DQ haplotypes, including the complot ypes, were defined by family studies. As in other populations, two PV susceptibility haplotypes were found: HLA-DRB10402, DQA1*0301, DQB1*0 302 and HLA-DRB11401, DQA1*0104, DQB*0503. The first haplotype was la rgely prevalent in the Sardinian patients and was a part of the extend ed haplotype HLA-A2, Cw4, B35, S31, DR4, DQ8. The strength of the alle le associations to PV is in agreement with the view that the main PV s usceptibility genes are the DRB10402 and DQB1*0503 alleles. A genetic resistance to PV seems to be conferred by the HLA-DR3, DQ2 haplotype in the Sardinian population.