Risk for Alzheimer's disease in older late-onset cases is associated with HLA-DRB1*03

The allele frequency of the HLA-DRB1gene was compared between groups of 48 clinically diagnosed elderly Alzheimer's disease (AD) cases and 44 patholog ically confirmed elderly control cases. Specific primers were used to PCR a mplify the highly polymorphic second exon of HLA-DRB1 using DNA extracted f rom blood samples or frozen brain tissue. The allele type was identified us ing sequence specific oligonucleotide probes. The results showed an increas ed frequency of DRB1*03 (P < 0.006) and decreased frequency of DRB1*09 (P < 0.049) in the AD cases compared with the controls. The results suggest tha t DRB1*03 is associated with an increased risk and DRB1*09 a possible decre ased risk for the development of late-onset AD with first detectable clinic al symptoms occurring at age 75 years or greater. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.