ASSOCIATION BETWEEN HLA-DRB3-ASTERISK-0101 AND IMMUNOGLOBULIN-E RESPONSIVENESS TO BET V I

The relationship between HLA-DRB3 antigens and specific IgE responsive ness to highly purified major allergen from white birch (Betula verruc osa), Bet v I, was studied in 43 patients, who were skin-prick test po sitive to birch pollen extract. Specific IgE to Ber v I was measured u sing an assay based on the principle of the Magic Lite method. HLA-DR and -DQ typings were performed by standard restriction fragment-length polymorphism techniques and HLA-DRB3 typing by the use of polymerase chain reaction and sequence-specific oligonucleotide. Of the 43 patien ts, 41 (95%) exhibit ed Bet v I-specific IgE. The data showed a signif icant association between HLA-DRB30101 and specific IgE to Bet v I (P -c = 0.02). Furthermore, it was shown that this association was linked to the overall IgE responsiveness and not to a limited area of IgE se nsitivity. The present study confirms and further identifies the assoc iation of DRB30101/0302 earlier described in an Austrian population t o be present also in a Danish study group. This underlines the importa nce of this particular allele in the allergic immune response to birch pollen and emphasizes the importance of investigating the molecular b asis of human allergic immune responsiveness.