The association of HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 alleles with genetic susceptibility to multiple sclerosis in the Slovak population

Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess the association between HLA-DRB1 and -DQB1 allele groups with the genetic predisposition to multiple sclerosis (MS) in the Caucasian Central European Slovak population.Methods: A total of 282 unrelated patients with sporadic MS were enrolled in this case-control study. HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 allele groups were genotyped using a polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers. The DRB1 and DQB1 allele carrier frequencies, genotypes and haplotype frequencies were compared between MS cases and healthy controls.Results: Positive association with MS was found for alleles HLA-DRB1*15 (OR=3.64; Pcor=6.9x10-11), DRB1*03 (after elimination of carriers of DRB1*15, OR=2.8; Pcor=0.0029), DQB1*06 (OR=1.99; Pcor=7.0x10-4), genotypes HLA-DRB1*15/*15 (OR=7.6; Pcor=0.001) and DQB1*06/*06 (OR=3.81; Pcor=4.0x10-4) and for haplotype DRB1*15-DQB1*06 (OR=3.03; Pcor=0.001). Carriage of alleles DRB1*07 (OR=0.53; Pcor=0.04), DRB1*13 (OR=0.39; Pcor=4.0x10-4), DQB1*03 (OR=0.46; Pcor=1.0x10-4), genotypes HLA-DRB1*13/*11 (OR=0.12; Pcor=0.004), DQB1*05/*03 (OR=0.39; Pcor=0.035), DQB1*03/*03 (OR=0.38; Pcor=0.029) and haplotypes DRB1*13-DQB1*06 (OR=0.47; Pcor=0.0128) and DRB1*11-DQB1*03 (OR=0.58; Pcor=0.0352) was found to be protective against MS development.Discussion: This is the first study performed to analyse the association of HLA-DRB1/DQB1 with susceptibility to MS in Slovakia. The results of our study confirm that HLA class II alleles, genotypes and haplotypes are associated with MS risk.