Distribution of the HL-A antigens of the Japanese population in Japan

The role of HLA-B27 in the diagnosis of low back pain

The HLA-B27 antigen was determined in 652 patients with low back pain which had lasted for more than 3 months. A clinical and roentgenological examination of the sacroiliac joints and the thoraco-lumbar spine was performed in all the patients. The control group consisted of 302 unrelated persons who did not show signs of low back pain. Antigen HLA-B27 was found in 276 of these 652 patients attending the ward for rheumatic diseases (42.4 per cent) and in 37 of the 302 unrelated persons in the control group (12.2 per cent). The difference is statistically highly significant (P less than 0.001). Ankylosing spondylitis was found in 128 out of the 276 patients with low back pain and antigen HLA-B27. This demonstrates the importance of this antigen in the differential diagnosis of low back pain.

HLA--Bw54 (Bw22-J, J-1) antigen in juvenile onset diabetes mellitus in Japan

HLA--B8 and/or Bw15, associated with juvenile onset insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (JDM) in Caucasians, have a very low frequency in the Japanese population. Thus, we were interested in investigating the association between JDM and HLA antigen in a Japanese population. Eighty-nine patients with JDM and 128 unrelated random controls were HLA-typed by the microlymphocytotoxicity test. The data revealed a significant, positive association between this type of diabetes mellitus and HLA--Bw54 (Bw22-J, J-1) antigen (Japanese-specific split antigen of HLA--Bw22).

The HL-A system in Thais

The HL-A antigens were studied in 100 Thai subjects. HL-A2, 11 and 9 of the first series and W15, HL-A17, 5, and 13 of the second series were commonly found. HL-A2-11 and W15- were the commonest phenotypes observed in the first and the second series, respectively. The HL-A2, X2, and 2, W15 were the most common haplotypes. However, there was no significant gametic association.