Immunogenetics of HLA class II in Israeli patients with adult-onset Type 1 diabetes mellitus

The distribution of HLA class II alleles and genotypes in Israelis of different ethnic origin with adult-onset type 1 diabetes (T1D) was examined. The results were compared with published findings in healthy Israelis and childhood-onset T1D Israelis. An additional comparison was made between subgroups of patients with rapidly and slowly progressive adult-onset T1D (LADA). A DNA-based low-resolution analysis was performed for DRB1* and DQB1* alleles and a high-resolution analysis for DRB1*04 and DQB1*1 alleles. In all, 87% of the study group was positive for DRB1*03 or DRB1*04 compared with 36% of the healthy controls. The main alleles accounting for susceptibility to T1D were DRB1*0402, found in 77.9% of carriers of DRB1*04 and DQB1*0302, found in 74.6% of carriers of DQB1*03. The DQB1*0602 was not detected in any patient. The distribution was similar to that reported in Israeli children with T1D and significantly different from healthy Israelis. There was no significant difference in the distribution of HLA class II alleles between patients with rapidly progressive T1D or LADA. It may be concluded that the different ages of onset of T1D and its different forms of development in Israeli patients are apparently not caused by a different prevalence of HLA class II alleles.