NO PRIMARY ASSOCIATION BETWEEN LMP2 POLYMORPHISMS AND EXTRASPINAL MANIFESTATIONS IN SPONDYLOARTHROPATHIES

Objective-To investigate the potential role of the HLA-linked LMP2 (lo w molecular weight protein) gene polymorphisms in conjunction with DR4 and DR7 on extraspinal disease manifestations in HLA-B27 positive pat ients with spondyloarthropathy. Methods-172 patients with spondyloarth ropathy, 46 healthy, HLA-B27 positive blood donors, and 99 unrelated c ontrols were typed for HLA-class I and II antigens. LMP2 alleles were determined by polymerase chain reaction and subsequent restriction enz yme digestion. Results-There were statistically nonsignificant increas es of DR4 and DR7 in spondyloarthropathy subjects. However these diffe rences did not relate to specific extraspinal manifestations. There we re no significant differences in the LMP2 genotype distribution in the disease groups. All differences in LMP2 genotype frequencies disappea red when correcting for DR4, which was in linkage disequilibrium with the LMP2B allele. Conclusions-There is no independent association betw een LMP2 genotypes and the occurrence of uveitis or peripheral arthrit is in HLA-B27 positive subjects with spondyloarthropathy. DR4 and DR7 do not contribute to these disease manifestations.