HLA-DQA1 and DQB1 loci in nickel allergy patients

Since an association has been reported between nickel allergy and HLA-DQA TaqI restriction fragment length polymorphism, we typed the DQA1 locus by a more precise method to confirm the association and characterize it better. Typing was extended to the DQB1 locus. The loci were typed using polymerase chain reaction and sequence-specific oligonucleotides. The DQA1 allele 0601 was slightly overrepresented among the patients, but the p value was not significant. The frequencies of DQB1 locus alleles did not differ from those of the controls. Thus we were unable to confirm any association between HLA and nickel allergy.