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DQB1-0602 (DQW1) IS NOT PRESENT IN MOST NONDR2 CAUCASIAN NARCOLEPTICS SLEEP Mignot, E., Lin, X., Kalil, J., George, C., Singh, S., Billiard, M., Montplaisir, J., Arrigoni, J., Guilleminault, C., Dement, W. C., GRUMET, F. C. 1992; 15 (5): 415-422

Abstract

Human narcolepsy is a genetically determined disorder of sleep strongly associated with the human leucocyte antigens (HLA) DR2 and DQw1. In black narcoleptic patients, susceptibility for narcolepsy is more closely related to a specific gene subtype of DQw1, DQB1-0602, than to DR2. About 30% of black narcoleptic patients are nonDR2, but all carry the HLA DQB1-0602 gene. In the present study, we have tested caucasian nonDR2 cataplectic patients (6 sporadic cases and 7 familial cases from 3 multiplex families) for the presence of the HLA DQB1-0602 and DQA1-0102 (DQw1) using a specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-oligotyping technique. None of the patients was DQB1-0602 or DQA1-0102 positive, thus proving that, in caucasians, DQB1-0602 and DQA1-0102 (DQw1) are not prerequisites for the diagnosis of narcolepsy. Further studies with more patients are warranted to exclude the possibility that a few caucasian patients carry rare haplotypes with DQB1-0602 independently of DR2.

View details for PubMedID 1455124