Immunogenetic basis of the seronegative spondyloarthropathies

This review discusses recent data relevant to better understanding the HLA-B27 association with seronegative spondyloarthropathies. Although much is known about the B27 molecule, its contribution to the pathogenesis of disease is unclear. It is still unknown whether the B27 molecule is involved directly, and whether this is due to the basic function of the molecule, ie, presentation of allele-specific antigenic peptides to the T-cell receptor. Experiments performed with B27 transgenic mice and rats strongly support the view that some unique or special property of the B27 molecule is involved in pathogenesis. However, the data are of a preliminary nature.