Objective To investigate whether MICA gene exon 2,3 and 4 polymorphism is associated with seronegative spondylarthropathies (SpA) or not in Chinese Han population.Methods All 199 B27 positive patients with SpA and 183 randomly ethnically matched healthy controls,and 12 B27 positive controls were enrolled to detect the MICA genotype from its exons 2,3 and 4 by using PCR SSOP method in Shanghai area.Results The MICA007 allele frequency was significantly more in the patient group (18 0%) than in the randomly healthy control group (6 6%) (RR=3 04, P =0 000 045).However,the MICA007 allele frequency was not significantly higher in the B27 positive patient group than in the B27 positive control group.Conclusion The MICA007 allele itself may not be the real disease susceptibility gene involved in the development of ankylosing spondylitis.The increased frequency of MICA007 allele is supposed to be due to a strong linkage disequilibrium between MICA and HLA B genes.

Objective To investigate whether the killer cell immunoglobulin like receptor (KIR) gene polymorphisms are associated with seronegative spondylarthropathies.Methods All 197 HLA B27 positive patients with seronegative spondyloarthro pathies (SpA) and 83 randomly ethnically matched healthy controls were enrolled to detect the KIR genotype using PCR SSP in Shanghai area.Results The KIR3DL1 gene frequency was significantly lower in the patient group (0 763) than in the control group (1 00) (RR=0 76, P =0 003).Meanwhile,the gene frequencies of two pseudogenes (KIR2DP1,KIR3DP1) were significantly higher in SpA group than in healthy control group (RR=1 1, P =0 004).Conclusion There may be a negative association between pathogenesis of SpA and KIR3DL1 gene.The function of KIR3DL1 molecule should be investigated deeply.

Objective:To explore the mechanism of association between recurrent spontaneous abortion(RSA) and the polymorphism of HLA E,had detected the frequencies of five HLA E alleles in 53 women with RSA and 156 random Shanghai Chinese controls.Methods:PCR sequence specific oligonucleotide (PCR SSO) typing was carried to detect polymorphism in exon2 and exon3 of HLA E gene.Results:HLA E *0101 is the most common allele in both RSA patients and controls(50% and 43.09% respectively).HLA E *01031 and E *01032 were detected with allele freqencies of 23.79% and 33.12% in controls,20.75% and 29.25% in RSA.No HLA E *0102 and E *0104 alleles could be detected in both groups.Conclusion:Maternal HLA E polymorphism does not associated with pathogenesis of RSA.

OBJECTIVETo detect genetic polymorphism in the exons 2 to 4 of the MICA gene in Chinese Han population in Shanghai, Dai population in Yunnan province and Uygur population in Xinjiang province respectively.

METHODSDNA samples from 183 random healthy individuals in Han population, 41 in Dai population and 66 in Uygur population were genotyped by using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequence-specific oligonucleotide probing (SSOP) method.

RESULTSIn total, 10, 7 and 9 alleles of MICA were observed in Han, Dai and Uygur population respectively. MICA*008 was the most common allele in the population of both Han and Uygur, whereas MICA*010 was the most popular one in Dai population. Han and Dai had a bit similar distribution pattern (Chi-square=12.809 P=0.046), in contrast with Han to Uygur (Chi-square=58.499 P=0) and Dai to Uygur (Chi-square=49.273 P=0).

CONCLUSIONMICA gene displayed different allele distributions in different populations.

Alleles ; China ; Exons ; genetics ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Geography ; Haplotypes ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I ; genetics ; Humans ; Linkage Disequilibrium ; Polymorphism, Genetic