Polymorphisms in exon 2 of CD1 genes are associated with susceptibility to Guillain-Barré syndrome

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a post-infectious autoimmune peripheral neuropathy. Studies have shown that a T cell-mediated immune response to peripheral nerve is associated with the pathogenesis of GBS. CD1 molecules are MCH-like glycoproteins specialized to capture and present glycolipids to T cells. Polymorphisms of CD1 genes may affect susceptibility to GBS. We investigated the polymorphisms of CD1 genes in GBS patients in a Chinese Han population. In 126 patients and in 138 controls we genotyped exon 2 of the CD1A and CD1E genes. The results indicated that polymorphisms of CD1A genes are associated with GBS. Furthermore, subjects with CD1A*01/02 had a 2.9 times lower risk of developing GBS, and those with CD1A*02/02 had a 2.5 times higher risk to developing GBS than the controls, while there was no association between polymorphisms of CD1E genes and the susceptibilities to GBS.