Molecular mechanisms in Behçet’s disease
- Doheny Eye Institute, 1450 San Pablo Street, DVRC-211, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
- Correspondence to: Dr Narsing Rao, Doheny Eye Institute, 1450 San Pablo Street, DVRC-211 Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; nrao{at}dohenyeyeinstitute.org
T-bet may be an immunomodulatory target at which to aim
Much is still unknown about the aetiopathogenesis of Behçet’s disease, although genetic, infectious, and autoimmune components are all believed to be involved.
The distribution and wide variation in relative risk of HLA-B51 is well documented and appears to support the presence of other, non-genetic risk factors for Behçet’s disease.1 The contribution of HLA-B51 to the overall genetic susceptibility to Behçet’s disease is estimated to be less than 20%.2 It is not certain if HLA-B51 has a direct role in the pathogenesis of Behçet’s disease, or whether this association reflects linkage disequilibrium with a closely located gene. The association of the *009 and A6 MHC class 1 related gene A (MIC-A) alleles with Behçet’s disease is due to linkage with HLA B51 and implies that HLA B51 itself is associated with the disease.3 Analysis of the segment between the TNF and HLA-B loci revealed a strong, perhaps primary,4 association of Behçet’s …
