HLA-DR antigens in Japanese with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease

HLA-A, -B, -C and -DR specificities were determined to study the association of HLA in 49 unrelated patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and 51 patients with Graves' disease. The results were compared with 144 control subjects from the Japanese population at large. Much less HLA-DR2 was found in the patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis than in the normal controls. It was present in 16% of the thyroiditis patients compared to 39% in the controls. Also the frequency of HLA-DRl was less in the patients with Graves' disease (0%) than in the controls (15%). No positive association was found for any HLA-antigens in the two diseases.