JS Bignon, Y Aron, LY Ju, MC Kopferschmitt, R Garnier, C Mapp, LM Fabbri, G Pauli, A Lockhart and D Charron
Laboratory de Physiologie Respiratoire, Universite Paris V, France.

Studying genetic factors that control human immune responsiveness may further our understanding of specific types of asthma in which the role of immune factors is uncertain to date. HLA Class II gene products are involved in the control of immune responses. Therefore, we investigated whether HLA Class II genetic markers contribute to susceptibility or resistance to isocyanate-induced asthma (IAA) in exposed workers. We collected venous blood samples from two groups of unrelated white adults: (1) patients with isocyanate-induced asthma documented by a positive inhalation challenge; and (2) exposed individuals with no history of IAA. The second exon of DQA1, DQB1, DPB1, and DRB genes was selectively amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. HLA typing was carried out by the PCR-RFLP method, which allowed discrimination of most HLA DQA1, DQB1, DPB1, and DRB alleles. No significant difference was found in the distribution of DPB1 alleles between patients and control subjects. Allele DQB1*0503 and allelic combination DQB1*0201/0301 were associated with susceptibility to the disease. Conversely, allele DQB1*0501 and the DQA1*0101-DQB1*0501-DR1 haplotype conferred significant protection to exposed healthy control subjects. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that immune mechanisms are involved in isocyanate-induced asthma and that specific genetic factors may increase or decrease the risk of developing IAA in exposed workers.

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