Pathogenic gene responsible for the predisposition of Behçet's disease

HLA-B51 is well known to be associated with Behçet's disease (BD) in many different ethnic groups. The hypothesis may be presented that B51 molecules are primarily involved in BD development through specific antigen presentation. Furthermore, HLA-C genotyping by the polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primers method suggests that the BD pathogenic gene is not the HLA-C gene itself but some other gene located near the HLA-B gene. Polymorphic analysis of the Tau-a microsatellite between the HLA-B and TNF genes indicates that the pathogenic gene of BD is not the HLA-B51 gene itself but other gene located around the HLA-B gene. Recent studies suggest that many novel genes exist in the region between the TNF and HLA-B or HLA-C genes such as MIC and PERB, etc. and furthermore, many unidentified new genes have been suggested to exist in this region. In this paper, the present situation of the investigations on the genetic predisposition responsible for BD was reviewed.