Studies on associations between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II alleles and antiphospholipid antibodies in Danish and Czech women with recurrent miscarriages

Autoantibody production is commonly associated with particular HLA class II phenotypes. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the pr esence of antiphospholipid (AHPL) antibodies and other autoantibodies in wo men with unexplained recurrent miscarriage was associated with particular h uman Leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR or -DQ alleles or linked epitopes which hav e previously been reported as being associated with the recurrent miscarria ge syndrome or the presence of APL. In a total of 123 Danish and Czech wome n with recurrent miscarriage, serum was investigated for six different APL antibodies including anticardiolipin (ACL) antibody. Antinuclear antibodies (ANA), anti-zona pellucida antibodies and anti-sperm antibodies were also investigated. The women were HLA-IPR and -DQ typed by DNA-based methods, Th e frequency of HLA-DR phenotypes did not differ significantly between APL a ntibody positive recurrent miscarriage patients and APL antibody negative r ecurrent miscarriage patients or healthy controls. Among ACL antibody posit ive recurrent miscarriage patients, significantly more were positive for th e HLA-DR phenotype and negative for the HLA-DR2 phenotypes compared with he althy controls (P < 0.05). Among ANA positive recurrent miscarriage women, 55% carried the HLA-DR3 phenotype compared with 28% of ANA negative patient s (P < 0.05) and 21% of healthy controls (P < 0.002). In conclusion, among recurrent miscarriage women, the HLA-DR3 phenotypes seem to predispose to f ormation of ACL antibodies and ANA, The association between APL antibodies and particular BLA alleles and HLA-linked epitopes reported in studies of p atients with lupus erythematosus (e.g. HLA-DR7 and -DR4) could not be confi rmed ins patients with recurrent miscarriage.