ASSOCIATIONS OF HLA-DR AND HLA-DQ TYPES WITH ANTI-GBM NEPHRITIS BY SEQUENCE-SPECIFIC OLIGONUCLEOTIDE PROBE HYBRIDIZATION

Twenty-three patients from the United States with anti-glomerular base ment membrane nephritis (Goodpasture's syndrome) were HLA class I and class II typed by serology and HLA-DR and HLA-DQB typed using sequence -specific oligonucleotide (SSO) probes. Protocols used were those of t he 11th International HLA Workshop. We were able to confirm the strong association of DR2 with the disease and, using the molecular techniqu es, showed that all DR2 patients were restricted to DRB1-1501 and DQB1 -0602 alleles. We also found highly significant associations between d isease and the alleles of DRB1-0301 and DQB1-0201. DR4 alleles as a gr oup were not significantly more frequent among patients, but the allel e DRB 1-0404 did appear to be associated with the disease. The use of SSO typing provides an expanded opportunity for refined analysis of HL A and disease associated alleles.