Extended haplotypes in rheumatoid arthritis and preliminary evidence for an interaction with immunoglobulin genes

The incidence of extended haplotypes of the Major Histocompatibility Complex was compared between 20 probands with RA, their unaffected family members, and 42 controls. One haplotype only, HLA-Bw62 BfS C4A*3 C4B*3 DR4 GLO2, was significantly increased in the patient group, whereas HLA-B7 BfS C4A*3 C4B*1 DR2 GLO1, which was the most common haplotype in the control groups, was absent. The immunoglobulin allotype Glm(2) was significantly increased in frequency in the RA patients, and analysis showed that of the seven patients carrying Bw62-DR4, five were G1m(2) positive. Further, the increase in frequency of the phenotype Gm(1,2,17,21,3,5,23) was also significant and was carried by two of four probands with the extended haplotype HLA-Bw62 BfS C4A*3 C4B*3 DR4 GLO2 and by one proband also bearing this haplotype but with a null allele at the C4A locus. The striking association of G1m(2) and Bw62 with DR4 in our patients suggests that in interaction of immunoglobulin genes with DR4 is stronger when DR4 is associated with particular haplotypes rather than with DR4 in general.