Hereditary Factors in Takayasu's Disease

Abstract

In an attempt to provide support for the genetic link theory as related to the etiology of Takayasu's disease, we analyzed simultaneously A, B, and D loci of HLA antigens in 75 Japanese patients with the disease. Serving as control were 128 healthy Japanese. A statistically significant high frequency of BW52 and DHO was confirmed with the levels being 25.6 and 10.4, respectively, in the X2 test. A haplotype of A9-BW52-DHO was frequently evident in these patients as compared to the controls, and here also the statistical difference was significant. There appears to be a closer relationship of the gene to BW52 than to DHO. A survey of the homozygote of BW52 revealed 6 of 75 patients with BW52; however, statistically speaking, this rate did not differ from the expected one. Thus, our analysis of HLA illustrates the genetic factors involved in Taka yasu's disease. The genes are located between the B and D loci and are closer to BW52 than DHO and these genes have a dominant character.