[HLA molecules and disease predisposition]

It has been known for several years that many diseases are associated with given HLA antigens. Thus, individuals having given HLA antigens are more susceptible to develop certain diseases (for example Bechterews disease, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus etc.). During the last few years the biological function of HLA molecules in T lymphocyte activation has been established. This may explain the mechanisms behind the HLA associations, and hopefully lead to possibilities of preventing the development of the relevant diseases in susceptible individuals. This article briefly reviews recent developments in this field.