RP Young, RD Barker, KD Pile, WO Cookson and AJ Taylor
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Royal Brompton, National Heart and Lung Hospital, London, United Kingdom.

We have undertaken a case referent study of the association between HLA allele frequency and specific IgE antibody to acid anhydride-human serum albumin (AA-HSA) conjugates among acid anhydride workers. Thirty cases with radio-allergosorbent test score versus AA-HSA conjugates > 2 were compared with 30 referents without specific IgE selected from the same factory sites as the cases and matched for age, sex, duration of exposure, atopic status, and smoking habit. We found a significant excess of HLA-DR3 in the cases with specific IgE to acid anhydrides when compared with the referents (50% versus 14%, Fisher's statistic = 8.4; odds ratio = 6, p = 0.05 corrected). The excess of HLA-DR3 was particularly associated with IgE versus trimellitic anhydride, with HLA- DR3 present in eight of 11 workers with and in two of 14 referents without IgE (Fisher's statistic = 8.5, odds ratio = 16, p = 0.004). The proportion of HLA-DR3 among the phthalic anhydride workers was not different in those with IgE (two of 12) from their referents (two of 14). These findings suggest MHC II proteins are an important determinant of the specificity of the IgE response to an inhaled hapten.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				F Castro-Giner, F Kauffmann, R de Cid, and M Kogevinas Gene-environment interactions in asthma. Occup. Environ. Med., November 1, 2006; 63(11): 776 - 761. [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. E. Mapp, P. Boschetto, P. Maestrelli, and L. M. Fabbri Occupational Asthma Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., August 1, 2005; 172(3): 280 - 305. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P J Nicholson, P Cullinan, A J Newman Taylor, P S Burge, and C Boyle Evidence based guidelines for the prevention, identification, and management of occupational asthma Occup. Environ. Med., May 1, 2005; 62(5): 290 - 299. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C.E. Mapp The role of genetic factors in occupational asthma Eur. Respir. J., July 1, 2003; 22(1): 173 - 178. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				American Thoracic Society Statement: Occupational Contribution to the Burden of Airway Disease Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., March 1, 2003; 167(5): 787 - 797. [Full Text] [PDF]

				Proceedings of the First Jack Pepys Occupational Asthma Symposium Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., February 1, 2003; 167(3): 450 - 471. [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Nemery, A. Bast, J. Behr, P.J.A. Borm, S.J. Bourke, Ph. Camus, P. De Vuyst, H.M. Jansen, V.L. Kinnula, D. Lison, et al. Interstitial lung disease induced by exogenous agents: factors governing susceptibility Eur. Respir. J., July 1, 2001; 18(32_suppl): 30S - 42s. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. J. NEWMAN TAYLOR, P. CULLINAN, P. A. LYMPANY, J. M. HARRIS, R. J. DOWDESWELL, and R. M. du BOIS Interaction of HLA Phenotype and Exposure Intensity in Sensitization to Complex Platinum Salts Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., August 1, 1999; 160(2): 435 - 438. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				N. Cherry Recent advances: Occupational disease BMJ, May 22, 1999; 318(7195): 1397 - 1399. [Full Text]

				C. E. MAPP, A. BALBONI, R. BARICORDI, and L. M. FABBRI Human Leukocyte Antigen Associations in Occupational Asthma Induced by Isocyanates Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., October 1, 1997; 156(4): S139 - S143. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R M du Bois Recent Advances: Respiratory medicine BMJ, June 17, 1995; 310(6994): 1594 - 1597. [Full Text]