Polymorphisms in exon 2 of CD1 genes are associated with susceptibility to Guillain-Barre syndrome

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is a post -infectious autoimmune peripheral neuropathy. Studies have shown that a T cell -mediated immune response to peripheral nerve is associated with the pathogenesis of GBS. CD1 molecules are MCH-like glycoproteins specialized to capture and present glycolipids to T cells. Polymorphisms of CD1 genes may affect susceptibility to GBS. We investigated the polymorphisms of CD1 genes in GBS patients in a Chinese Han population. In 126 patients and in 138 controls we genotyped exon 2 of the CD1A and CD1E genes. The results indicated that polymorphisms of CD1A genes are associated with GBS. Furthermore, subjects with CD1A*01/02 had a 2.9 times lower risk of developing GBS, and those with CD1A*02/02 had a 2.5 times higher risk to developing GBS than the controls, while there was no association between polymorphisms of CD1E genes and the susceptibilities to GBS. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.