INVESTIGATION OF THE GENETICS IN ALLERGIC RHINITIS. THE 4TH REPORT

Nineteen patients with orchard grass (O.G.) pollinosis and 66 normal controls were investigated for clarifing the specificities of HLA class I (A. B, C) and II (DR, DQW, DRW) antigens. The patients consisted of 3 patients allergic to O.G. alone and 16 patients allergic to O.G. and other antigens such as Japasese cedar, housedust mite and/or ragweed simultaneously. The diagnosis was made by clinical symptoms, skin test and nasal provocation test with O.G. and serum IgE antibody titer to O.G.All of the patients were positive to all of these tests, and all of the controls were negative to the tests.The results were as follows.1. The incidence of HLA-A26 was more higher in the 19 patients allergic to O.G. than that in the 66 controls.(Patient: 52.6%, Controls: 16.7%, P<0.05, Pc<0.025)2. The incidence of HLA-DQW3 was more higher in the 19 patients allergic to O.G. than that in the 66 controls.(Patient: 100%, Controls: 65.2%, P<0.01, Pc<0.02)3. These results were same as those in Japanese cedar pollinosis. And all of the patients allergic to O.G. who had HLA-A26 were allergic to Japasese cedar.From the results obtained, it is considered that the resemblance in HLA types may explain a tendency to be sensitized multiply with antigens such as orchard grass and Japanese cedar.From the aspect of biological function in HLA, it is considered that HLA DQW3 antigens which is one of class II antigens may play more important role in the patients of orchard grass pollinosis than HLA-A26 antigen.