HLA-D typing in 111 multiple sclerosis patients: Distribution of four HLA-D alleles.

Multiple sclerosis patients-111 of them-were typed for the HLA-D alleles w1, w2, and w3 and a new determinant, EI. Statistically significant increase was obtained for the w2 and w3 frequencies as compared to healthy controls. The distribution of HLA-D phenotypes among MS patients revealed a good fit according to the Hardy-Weinberg law. By calculating linkage disequilibrium parameters, the HLA-B7,Dw2 allele combination was found to be more closely associated than in normal controls, whereas for HLA-Bw35, Dw1, no linkage disequilibrium could be detected in the patients' group. From these data we conclude that in multiple sclerosis, the disturbance affects the frequency of Dw3 and the gametic association between alleles of the HLA-B and D loci, as well as the already known increase of HLA-B7 and Dw2