HLA antigens and pANCA define ulcerative colitis as a genetically heterogeneous disorder

Several genetic and subclinical markers have been associated with ulcerative colitis.

To determine whether a significant association with HLA class I and II antigens was present in Italian ulcerative colitis patients considered as a whole population or stratified according to their anti-neutrophil cytoplasmatic antibodies.

HLA class I and II antigens were studied by serological typing techniques and related to the presence of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmatic antibodies detected by means of indirect immunofluorescence.

Patients with ulcerative colitis (n = 45) had a significantly increased frequency of DQ6 (p = 0.04) and DQ7 (p = 0.003) and a decreased frequency of DQ5 (p = 0.03) and DQ8 (p = 0.02) when compared with ethnically matched healthy controls (n = 252 for HLA class I and 173 for HLA class II). No significant difference in HLA I- and DR-antigens was observed. Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmatic antibodies were found in 27/45 (60%) ulcerative colitis patients and in 0/252 controls (p < 0.001). After stratifying ulcerative colitis patients according to their anti-neutrophil cytoplasmatic antibodies status, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmatic antibodies +ve patients had an increased frequency of A19 (p = 0.007), DR2 (p = 0.03), and DR15 (p = 0.006), and a decreased frequency of A1 (p = 0.004) compared with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmatic antibodies -ve ones.

We suggest that specific HLA-class II loci play an important role in the susceptibility to ulcerative colitis in Italy. A subset of ulcerative colitis patients is characterised by the presence of a specific subclinical marker (anti-neutrophil cytoplasmatic antibodies) which seems to be genetically determined as shown by the increased frequencies of HLA-A19 and DR2 observed in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmatic antibodies +ve ulcerative colitis.