To determine whether HLA-DP genes are involved in determining susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
HLA-DPA1 and DPB1 genes were amplified by PCR of DNA samples from a panel of patients with SLE and normal controls. Amplified DNA was blotted on to nylon filters and probed with sequence-specific oligonucleotide (SSO) probes.
No DPA1 or DPB1 allele was significantly associated with SLE, or with any immunological or clinical subset of SLE. Evidence was found for only limited linkage disequilibrium between HLA-DP and HLA-DQ/DR variants, and none between HLA-DP and the TAP2 gene.
These data indicate that HLA-DP genes do not contribute towards determining susceptibility to SLE.