Susceptibility HLA class II alleles associated with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) were only described in case-control studies.
The transmission/disequilibrium test was used in 50 simplex families with AIH, to determine if affected offspring received the disease-associated allele more frequently than its alternate. HLA-DRB1 and DQB1 allele genotyping and autoimmune regulator (AIRE) polymorphisms located in exons 6, 8 and 10 were investigated by PCR-based methods.
HLA-DRB1*03 allele was significantly transmitted from heterozygous parent to affected offspring (81.5%) with type 1 AIH compared to random expected frequency (50.0%; P=0.004) or to unaffected offspring (42.8%; P=0.03). HLA-DRB1*1301 allele showed an excess transmission to affected children (100%) than expected frequency (P