HLA-DR2 GENE AND SPANISH PATIENTS WITH ULCERATIVE-COLITIS

BACKGROUND: an association with class II MHC genes has been described in ulcerative colitis, as in other diseases with immunological pathoge nesis. Heterogeneous results have been reported, depending on the stud ied population. OBJECTIVE: to study the importance of these genes in o ur population, mainly the alleles of group HLA DR2 (gene HLA-DRB1). PA TIENTS AND METHODS: we studied a total of 107 patients diagnosed of ul cerative colitis and 200 unaffected controls. Complete information abo ut sex, age, family antecedent, age of onset, localization, complicati ons, surgery and treatment was obtained from these patients. DNA was e xtracted from peripheral blood leukocytes and all the individuals were HLA-DRB1 genotyping. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: we conclude that a posi tive association exists between DR15 and ulcerative colitis (p < 0.05) . This positive association was characterized and various clinical par ameters were analyzed, being concluded that DR1501 is more frequent in this disease (p < 0.05) and in benign manifestations; the frequency o f the allele DR1502 was also found to be elevated in severe manifestat ions.