Spatial and temporal homogeneity of T-cell receptor gamma chain rearrangements in mycosis fungoides: A next-generation sequencing analysis

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Polymorphism of HLA-DMA and DMB Alleles in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease affecting multiple organs that is characterized by the production of various antibodies against nuclear, cytoplasmic, and cell surface antigens. The expression of SLE is influenced by environmental factors and genetic predisposition 1 . Case-control studies have shown that HLA-DR2 and DR3 alleles are associated with SLE 2-5 . HLA class II regions also contain HLA-DMA and HLA-DMB genes. These 2 genes encode respectively for α and ß glycoproteins that make up the HLA-DM heterodimer involved in class II-dependent antigen presentation. To date, 4 DMAalleles and 6 DMB alleles have been described MATERIALAND METHODS Patients and controls. Seventy-three SLE patients (68 women, 5 men, median age 35 yrs, range 12-81) were examined. SLE was diagnosed by 2 rheumatologists according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 1982 revised criteria 14 . All patients were of Caucasian origin. Blood was collected at the Rheumatology Department of the University Hospital of Montpellier. Two unrelated control populations were used in this study. All were healthy volunteer bone marrow donors recruited in the Montpellier area. One group consisted of 147 individuals randomly selected and typed for HLA-DR and HLA-DM genes. To determine if the association between SLE and certain HLA-DM alleles resulted from a direct influence of the DM genes or an indirect influence through linkage disequilibrium with alleles of the DRB1 locus, a second group of controls was defined. This group was composed of 86 individuals carrying DRB1*02 or DRB1*03, the SLE-associated HLA-DRB1 alleles. Methods. Genomic DNAwas extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells according to the classic salting-out procedure. DRB1 alleles were typed as describe