POLYMORPHISM OF THE HUMAN-IMMUNOGLOBULIN HEAVY-CHAIN LOCUS IN RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

The genetic origin of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is largely unknown, Th e purpose of this investigation was to assess the potential geneticall y determined involvement of the immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy chain variab le region (VH) locus in the pathogenesis of RA, We tested the hypothes is of whether there is a genetic linkage between a structural abnormal ity of the VH gene complex and autoantibody hyperproduction in RA, We used restriction endonuclease generated polymorphism with human VH gen e-family-specific probes to examine genomic DNA from a RA family and f rom unrelated RA patients from both the Tunisian and the European popu lations, The use of DNA samples from these ethnic origins permitted a further evaluation of the polymorphism of the human VH locus, While we found that the polymorphism of the VH locus was lower in the Tunisian population, we could not detect a restriction site polymorphism patte rn restricted to RA, Together, our results do not support the involvem ent of major abnormalities of the Ig VH locus as a primary source in t he development of RA.