[Human leukocyte antigen genes to genetic predisposition in diffuse panbronchiolitis]

To study the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes to genetic predisposition in diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB).

Twenty-four patients with DPB were studied and the characteristics before and after treatment with erythromycin were described. HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-DR loci were analyzed using an oligonucleotide microarray in both DPB patients and 53 normal control subjects. Disease association was assessed by the chi-square test. P < 0.05 was considered significant.

The frequency of HLA-A2 in DPB patients [20.83% (5/24)] was significantly decreased (X2 = 13.52, P < 0.01) compared to the controls [66.04% (35/53)]. The frequency of HLA-A2 showed a negative association with the disease (OR = 0.12). Furthermore, the frequency of HLA-A11 in DPB patients [58.33% (14/24)] was significantly increased (X2 = 7.27, P < 0.01) compared to the controls [26.42% (14/53)]. The frequency of HLA-A11 showed a positive association with the disease (OR = 3.9). However, the frequencies of HLA-B loci including HLA-B54, HLA-B55 and HLA-B56 were higher [12.5% (3/24),16.67% (4/24), 8.33% (2/24), respectively] than the controls [5.66% (3/53), 3.78% (2/53), 3.78% (2/53), respectively], but no single HLA-B allele showed a significant contribution (X2 = 1.08, 3.82, 0.70, respectively all P > 0.05). There was no genetic susceptibility in HLA-B loci. In addition, the frequency of HLA-DRB5 * 010/020 in DPB patients [37.5% (9/24)] was significantly increased (X2 = 3.88, P < 0.05) compared to the controls [16.98% (9/53)], but a bias caused by the small sample size could not be excluded.

The candidate genes responsible for the disease susceptibility of DPB is located within HLA class I region between A and B loci. HLA-A2 may be a genetic factor for the relatively low incidence of DPB in the Chinese population.