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Volume 3, Number 3—September 1997
Letter

MHC and Infectious Diseases

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To the Editor: The review on the importance of the https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/3/1/97-0105_article (Emerg Infect Dis 1997;3:41-9) failed to mention the potential role of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DM in conferring susceptibility to infectious diseases. HLA-DM is an MHC class II-like molecule essential for normal antigen processing and presentation (1). HLA-DM has been shown to function as a peptide editor, in that it influences the repertoire of peptides bound to HLA-DR. Furthermore, this influence occurs in an allele-specific fashion (2). In addition, HLA-DM polymorphisms have been reported to confer an increased relative risk for such varied entities as rheumatoid arthritis (3), kidney transplant rejection (4), and membranous nephropathy (5). Since HLA-DM is important in determining which peptides are immunogenic, it may be as important as MHC class II molecules in regulating the immune response and therefore in conferring susceptibility to infectious diseases.

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Victor S. Sloan
Author affiliation: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA

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References

  1. Busch  R, Mellins  ED. Developing and shedding inhibitions: how MHC class II molecules reach maturity. Curr Opin Immunol. 1996;8:51–8. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  2. Sloan  VS, Zaller  DM. Allelic specificity of the influence of HLA-DM on peptide repertoire. Arthritis Rheum. 1996;39:S310.
  3. Pinet  V, Combe  B, Avinens  O, Caillat-Zucman  S, Sany  J, Clot  J, Polymorphism of the HLA-DMA and HLA-DMB genes in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 1997;40:854–8. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  4. Chevrier  D, Giral  M, Bignon  JD, Muller  JY, Soulillou  JP. Impact of the "new" MHC-encoded genes (HLA-DMA, -DMB and LMP2) on kidney graft outcome. Hum Immunol. 1996;47:O717. DOIGoogle Scholar
  5. Giral  M, Chevrier  D, Muller  JY, Bignon  JD, Soulillou  JP. TAP1*0201 and HLA-DMA*0103 markers and severe forms of membranous nephropathy. Hum Immunol 1996;47:0140.

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Cite This Article

DOI: 10.3201/eid0303.970326

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Page created: December 21, 2010
Page updated: December 21, 2010
Page reviewed: December 21, 2010
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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