HLA-DR4 MAY DETERMINE EXPRESSION OF ACTINIC PRURIGO IN BRITISH PATIENTS

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) associations have been reported in Ameri ndian patients with actinic prurigo. To determine if similar associati ons are present in the British Caucasoid population with actinic pruri go, 26 patients underwent serological typing for HLA Class I and II an tigens. DNA analysis by both sequence-specific priming and group-speci fic amplification with single-stranded oligonucleotide probe hybridiza tion was used to confirm the DR and DQ typing and to perform DR4 subty ping. All patients were DR4 positive, and 25 of 26 patients were DQ7 p ositive. DR4 subtyping revealed 12 of 20 patients tested to be DRB104 07. A nonsignificant association was also found with HLA B55 that is i n linkage disequilibrium with DRB10407, No HLA associations were foun d in 25 British Caucasoid patients with polymorphic light eruption. DR B10407 is rare in European Caucasoids without actinic prurigo, and HL A-DR4 may have an important role in determining expression of this dis ease.