QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE-ANALYSIS OF HLA-DRB GENE-EXPRESSION

Determination of the molecular mechanisms influencing HLA-DRB gene exp ression would allow better understanding of the regulation of the immu ne response in normal as well as in pathological conditions. We starte d an extensive sequencing analysis of the proximal promoter regions of the DRB genes and observed a nucleotide polymorphism involving the cl assical regulatory regions of the DRB promoters. These nucleotide subs titutions were observed to induce variations of the promoter activitie s as assessed by chloramphenicol acetyl transferase assays and the qua ntification of DRB transcripts. Similar analysis performed in patients with rheumatoid arthritis strongly suggests dysregulation of HLA-DRB gene expression.