New Behcet disease immunology research from City Hospital discussed
2007 NOV 13 -- Scientists discuss in 'No association of KIR genes with Behcet's disease' new findings in Behcet disease. According to recent research from Belfast, the United Kingdom, "Behcet's disease (BD) is thought to be caused by multiple genetic, environmental and immunological factors, one of the most prominent being the strong association with human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-Bw51, an HLA-Bw4-associated allele. We examined the presence/absence of 14 killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and their ligands in 134 Turkish individuals with BD and compared the results with those of 154 ethnically matched controls." "Although KIR3DL1 with its ligand (HLA-Bw4) was significantly increased in the patients with BD (p=0.0003), this no longer applied when the patients and controls were categorised by HLA-Bw51 status. Thus, no association was identified between presence or absence of any of the 14 KIR genes studied and BD," wrote D. Middleton and colleagues, City Hospital. The researchers concluded: "In addition, we did not find any associations of KIR with various manifestations of the disease nor with gender or age of onset." Middleton and colleagues published their study in Tissue Antigens (No association of KIR genes with Behcet's disease. Tissue Antigens, 2007;70(5):435-8). For additional information, contact D. Middleton, City Hospital, Northern Ireland Regional Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Laboratory, Belfast, UK. Publisher contact information for the journal Tissue Antigens is: Blackwell Munksgaard, 35 Norre Sogade, PO Box 2148, DK-1016 Copenhagen, Denmark. Keywords: United Kingdom, Belfast, Behcet Disease Immunology, Behcet Disease, Behcet Syndrome, Immunology, Rheumatology. This article was prepared by Life Science Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Life Science Weekly via NewsRx.com.
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