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HLA antigens in Japanese patients with diabetes mellitus
Abstract:
Lymphocytes of 84 Japanese patients with diabetes mellitus and 150 normal controls were tested for HLA antigens by the microcytotoxicity test. HLA-B12 was found in 37.5 per cent of 32 patients with juvenile-onset diabetes mellitus, 13.5 per cent of 52 patients with late-onset diabetes, and 9.3 per cent of 150 normal controls. In the insulin-dependent juvenile form, HLA-B12 was associated with the disease more frequently and at a significant level (p less than 0.0005). In Japanese patients with juvenile-onset insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus the association is with HLA-B12, not with HLA-B8 and BW15, as in Caucasian patients. There was no significant increase of HLA-B12 in patients with insulin-indpendent diabetes mellitus.
Insights
Japanese patients with juvenile diabetes mellitus show a significant association with HLA-B12. This finding differs from Caucasian patients and is specific to the insulin-dependent form of the disease.
Area of Science:
- Immunogenetics
- Endocrinology
- Human Genetics
Background:
- Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) genes play a crucial role in immune regulation and have been associated with various autoimmune diseases.
- Previous studies have identified associations between specific HLA antigens and diabetes mellitus, particularly in Caucasian populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between HLA antigens and diabetes mellitus in a Japanese population.
- To determine if specific HLA alleles are linked to different subtypes of diabetes mellitus, including juvenile-onset insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
Main Methods:
- Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) typing was performed on lymphocytes from 84 Japanese patients with diabetes mellitus and 150 healthy controls using the microcytotoxicity test.
- Statistical analysis was conducted to assess the frequency of HLA-B12 and other relevant HLA antigens in different patient groups and controls.
Main Results:
- HLA-B12 was found in 37.5% of patients with juvenile-onset diabetes mellitus, 13.5% of patients with late-onset diabetes, and 9.3% of normal controls.
- A significant association (p < 0.0005) was observed between HLA-B12 and insulin-dependent juvenile-onset diabetes mellitus in the Japanese cohort.
- Unlike Caucasian patients, HLA-B8 and BW15 were not significantly associated with juvenile-onset insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in this Japanese population.
Conclusions:
- The study identifies a strong association between HLA-B12 and juvenile-onset insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in Japanese individuals.
- This genetic predisposition differs from that observed in Caucasian populations, highlighting ethnic variations in HLA associations with diabetes.
- No significant association was found between HLA-B12 and insulin-independent diabetes mellitus in the studied Japanese patients.