ABSTRACT: The DRB, DQA, and DQB subregions ofthe major histocompatibility complex (MHC) were investigatedby polymerase chain reaction and sequence-specificoligonucleotide probe hybridization (PCR/SSO) in103 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and 101 healthycontrols from Turkey. Significant differences were detectedbetween MS and control populations in the frequencies ofDRB1*1501 [29 vs. 14, p 5 0.02, odds ratio (OR) 5 2.4],DRB1*04 (35 vs. 18, p 5 0.01, OR 5 2.3), DQB1*0302(30 vs. 15, p 5 0.02, OR 5 2.3), DQB1*0602 (27 vs. 10,p 5 0.005, OR 5 3.2), DQB1*0501 (10 vs. 24, p 5 0.01,OR 5 0.3), DQA1*0101 (16 vs. 31, p 5 0.02, OR 50.4), and DQA1*0103 (7 vs. 19, p 5 0.02, OR 5 0.3).These results confirm the proposed positive association ofthe Dw2 (DRB1*1501 DQA1*0102 DQB1*0602) haplotypewith MS in Caucasians in our Turkish population(25 vs. 8, p 5 0.003, OR 5 3.7). Furthermore, the“putative” haplotype supposed to be more frequent in theMS population of Mediterranean countries, namelyDRB1*04 DQA1*03 DQB1*0302, is also associatedwith MS in Turkey (29 vs. 12, p 5 0.006, OR 5 2.9).The presence of two different haplotypic associations inMS emphasizes the complexity of the genetic susceptibilityto MS in different populations
