Abstract: Objective To investigate the predisposing alleles of HLA-DR genes in pemphigus. Methods Polymerase chain reaction-specific sequence primers (PCR-SSP) method was applied to type HLA-DR subregion in the patients with pemphigus vulgaris (PV), pemphigus erythematosus (PE) and matched control subjects of Han nationality from Jiangsu and Anhui provinces. Results The results demonstrated that DR4, DRB1*14 (*1401, *1404,*1405)gene frequencies were significantly higher in both PV(Pc<0.05 and <0.01 respectively)and PE patients (Pc<0.05) than those in controls. The gene frequencies of DRB1*0406 were significantly increased in PV and PE patients (Pc<0.05), which was demonstrated by further typing of DR4 positive specimens. DRB1*0403 was also increased in PV patients (Pc<0.05) compared with controls. Conclusions The results suggest that HLA-DR4, DRB1*14 genes might be the susceptible genes and they may play a similar role in the susceptibility of PV and PE.

Key words: Pemphigus, HLA-DR antigens