Association between human leukocyte antigen DQB1 gene polymorphisms and bronchial asthma among Mongolia and Han nationalities

Abstract

Objective To investigate association between human leukocyte antigen DQB1 (HLADQB1 ) gene polymorphisms and bronchial asthma among Mongolian and Han nationalities. Methods Sequence-specific primer polymerase chain reaction (PCR-SSP) was used to detect frequencies of HLA DQB1 genotypes and alleles in 50 cases of Han and 68 Mongolian asthmatic patients, and 50 Han and 54 Mongolian healthy controls, respectively. Difference in gene frequencies between the two nationalities was estimated by odds ratio (OR) and chi-square test. Results Frequency of the HLA-DQB1 0602 allele was significantly higher in Han patients with bronchial asthma than that in healthy Han nationality (OR = 6.163,P ＜0.01 ). Frequency of the HLA-DQB1 0603/0608 allele decreased in Mongolian asthmatic patients, as compared to that in healthy Mongolians ( OR = 0.199, P ＜ 0.05 ). Frequency of the HLA-DQB1 0301/4 allele was significantly higher in Mongolian asthmatic patients as compared to that in healthy Mongolians ( OR =2.074,P ＜0.05). Frequency of the HLA-DQB1 0301/4 allele was significantly higher in Mongolian than that in Han asthmatic patients ( OR = 2.482 ,P =0.05). Frequency of the HLA- DQB1 0602 allele was significantly higher in healthy Mongolians than that in healthy Han nationality ( OR = 3.341, P ＜ 0.05 ), in contrast, frequency of the HLA-DQB1 0402 allele was significantly lower in healthy Mongolians than that in healthy Han nationality ( OR = 0.209, P ＜ 0.05 ). Conclusions The HLA-DQB1 0603/0608 allele is possibly a protective gene and the HLA-DQB1 0301/4 allele a susceptible gene for bronchial asthma in Mongolians, and the HLA-DQB1 0602 allele is possibly a susceptible gene for bronchial asthma in Han nationlity. Key words: Asthma; HLA antigens; Mongolian nationality; Han nationality