Association between alopecia areata and HLA Class I and II in Turkey

HLA class I and II alleles have been described in patients with alopecia areata (AA). As in other immune mediated diseases, the HLA alleles associated with AA may influence the patient's ability to respond to immune challenges from both self and non-self antigens and can offer clues to the cause, prognosis, and potential therapy for the disease. The aim of this study was to determine which HLA class I and II alleles are associated with Turkish alopecia areata patients. Sixty-three patients with AA, alopecia totalis, or alopecia universalis were included in this study and compared with seventy-six healthy transplant donors. HLA DNA typing was performed by the PCR/SSP method. The frequency of HLA-B62 was significantly higher in patients than in controls. HLA-A2, HLA-A24, HLA-B35, HLA-DRB1*11, and HLA-DRB1*15 were significantly less common in patients than in the control group.