Histocompatibility types and measles antibodies in multiple sclerosis

The relationship between HLA antigens and measles antibody titers was investigated in 105 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. HLA antigens were determined serologically by a micro-lymphocytotoxicity test and measles antibody titers were determined by the hemagglutination inhibition test. There was an increased frequency of HLA-B7 and HLA-Bw35 antigens and a decreased frequency of HLA-A2, HLA-B12, and HLA-Bw40 antigens in MS. Measles antibody titers were significantly higher in MS than in control cases. In the MS patients, the chi-square test for homogeneity did not show any significant difference between the presence or absence of antigens HLA-A3, HLA-B7, HLA-B8 HLA-A2 or HLA-B12 when compared with measles antibody titers. The chi-square test for association did not show any significant difference between the presence or absence of these antigens compared with measles antibody titers above 1:64 or 1:128 or 1:256. However, there were significantly higher measles antibody geometric mean titers in MS patients with HLA-A3 antigen or lacking HLA-A2 antigen. In the case of HLA-A3, this was reflected in the female but not in the male patients. The increased measles HI antibody titer in MS may be related to the increased frequency of HLA-A3, or the decreased frequency of HLA-A2, or both.