Association of HLA-DR/DQ polymorphisms with Guillain–Barré syndrome in Tunisian patients

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles have been implicated in many autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study is to assess whether HLA-DR/DQ alleles confer susceptibility to Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) in a Tunisian population.MethodsThe HLA-DR/DQ genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP) in 38 patients with GBS and 100 healthy Tunisian control subjects.ResultsGBS in Tunisian patients was found to be associated with the following alleles with these relative patient versus control frequencies (pc denotes Bonferroni corrected probability values): DRB1*13 (23.68% vs. 9.0%; pc = 0.01), followed by DRB1*14 (22.36% vs.5.5%; pc < 10−3). Two haplotypes, DRB1*14/DQB1*05 and DRB1*13/DQB1*03, were found to be associated with susceptibility to GBS. However DRB1*07/DQB1*02 and DRB1*03/DQB1*02 haplotypes were more frequently observed in controls than in patients (11.5% vs.7.9%; pc = 0.007 and 23% vs. 5.26%; pc < 10−3 respectively). These haplotypes seem to confer protection against the disease.ConclusionOur data demonstrated a new GBS predisposition associated with HLA-DRB1*14 and DRB1*13. Theses alleles could be predisposing genetic factors for GBS in the Tunisian population.