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Br J Ophthalmol 1997;81:431-434 doi:10.1136/bjo.81.6.431
  • Original Article
    • Clinical science

HLA antigens in Omanis with blinding trachoma: markers for disease susceptibility and resistance

  1. Arthur G Whitea,
  2. Jorn Bogh150,b,
  3. William Lehenya,
  4. Padmavathi Kuchipudia,
  5. Mathew Varghesea,
  6. Hamad Al Riyamia,
  7. Sulieman Al Hashmia,
  8. Abdallah S Daara
  1. aTransplant Immunology Laboratory, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, bDepartment of Ophthalmology, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital
  1. William Leheny, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University, PO Box 35 Al Khod, Muscat 123, Sultanate of Oman.
  • Accepted 13 January 1997

Abstract

AIM To determine the presence of HLA antigens in people with blinding trachoma.

METHODS Fifty Omanis with blinding trachoma were serologically typed for HLA A, B, C, DR, and DQ antigens and DNA typed for class II DRβ and DQβ alleles and compared with a population of 100 healthy controls.

RESULTS χ2 analysis of serological reactions did not reveal any significant differences in HLA antigen frequencies after correction of probability, although DR4, DR7, and DR53 were completely absent in the patients and all of the patients were HLA DQ1 positive. In the case of DQ1 the relative risk was 22.6 (95% confidence interval of 20.7–24.7). Class II DNA low resolution DRβ typing showed a significant increase in HLA DR16 (pc= 0.036, relative risk = 3.8) and a significant decrease in HLA DR53 (pc = 0.018, relative risk = 0.05 ).

CONCLUSION The finding that HLA DR16 (a DR2 subtype) is associated with susceptibility to blinding trachoma, a disease that is caused by an intracellular micro-organism, is consistent with reports of an HLA DR2 association with leprosy and tuberculosis, diseases also caused by an intracellular micro-organism. Similarly, resistance to leprosy is associated with HLA DR53 as is the case with blinding trachoma described here. It is postulated that HLA DR2 or subtypes in association with HLA DQ 1 may enable an intracellular micro-organism to enter the cell or are involved in presentation of peptides derived from intracellular micro-organisms to T lymphocytes initiating a delayed hypersensitivity or autoimmune reaction. These findings are the first report that genetic factors are of major importance in the development and protection against blinding trachoma.

Footnotes

  • ↵Current address: Eyeclinic, Banegaardsplads 6, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark

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