LACK OF ASSOCIATION OF T-CELL RECEPTOR V-BETA-8 POLYMORPHISM WITH RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS IN UNITED-KINGDOM AND ITALIAN WHITE PATIENTS

Objectives-To study if the reported association of a BamH I 2kb RFLP o f the T cell receptor V beta 8 gene with DR4+ rheumatoid arthritis pat ients is found in non-American white populations. Methods-The frequenc y of this RFLP in two different populations was analysed. Eighty one n orthern Italians were studied for HLA-DR genotypes and vps polymorphis m, and 29 DR4+ British white patients were studied for V beta 8 polymo rphism. Results-No association between the V beta 8 RFLP and DR4 was f ound with rheumatoid arthritis in both groups. Conclusion-The reported V beta 8-DR4 association is not generally applicable. The lack of ass ociation in our populations may be due to genetic differences, or to d ifferences in factors which shaped the T cell repertoire.