Brief Report: HLA-DRB1, DQA1, and DQB1 in Juvenile-Onset Systemic Sclerosis

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare disease that is particularly uncommon in children. Specific HLA alleles have been associated with SSc in adults. This study was undertaken to investigate HLA class II alleles in juvenile-onset SSc.

DRB1, DQA1, and DQB1 alleles were determined by DNA-based HLA typing. Analyses were conducted comparing Caucasian patients with juvenile-onset SSc (n = 76) to healthy Caucasian controls (n = 581).

Initial analyses focused on HLA class II associations previously reported in adult Caucasian patients with SSc. The frequency of DRB1*11 was not significantly increased in juvenile-onset SSc (22.4% of patients with juvenile-onset SSc versus 17.6% of controls; odds ratio [OR] 1.35, P = 0.34), nor were the specific DRB1*11:01 or *11:04 alleles. DQA1*05, a risk factor previously identified in adult men with SSc, was increased in patients with juvenile-onset SSc versus controls (57.9% versus 44.1%; OR 1.76, P = 0.027), as was DRB1*03 (34.2% versus 22.5%; OR 1.79, P = 0.031). Secondary analyses of all DRB1 allele groups revealed an association with DRB1*10 (10.5% of patients with juvenile-onset SSc versus 1.5% of controls; OR 7.48, P = 0.0002). As this is a new observation, correction was made for multiple comparisons of 13 different DRB1 allele groups; results nevertheless remained significant (P = 0.003). Also, a lower frequency of DRB1*01 was observed in patients with juvenile-onset SSc who were younger at disease onset (OR 0.06, P = 0.01) and in those with antibodies to topoisomerase (OR 0.14, P = 0.024).

Associations of HLA alleles with juvenile-onset SSc differed from associations with SSc in women, but were similar to associations with SSc in men. Additionally, a novel association with DRB1*10 was observed in children. The greatest proportion of genetic risk of SSc is contributed by the HLA complex, and the current study reveals the importance of the association of HLA class II genes in juvenile-onset SSc.