The association between HLA-DPB1Glu69 and chronic beryllium disease and beryllium sensitization

Background Several case-control studies have found an association between chronic beryllium disease (CBD) and HLA-DPB1 gene variants. However, the relationship between HLA-DPB1 and beryllium sensitization, and whether the presence of one or two HLA-DPB1(Glu69) alleles is differentially associated with CBD and beryllium sensitization have not been completely resolved. Methods Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis was used to address these questions in a large population-based cohort consisting of 884 beryllium workers (90 with CBD, 64 beryllium sensitized). Results HLA-DPB1(Glu69) was associated with both CBD (OR = 9.4; 95% CI = 5.4, 16.6) and sensitization (OR = 3.3, 95% CI = 1.9, 5.9). Further workers with CBD and sensitization were more likely to be homozygous HLA-DPB1(Glu69) compared to workers without disease or sensitization (P < 0.001). Conclusions Follow-up of this cohort, scrutiny of HLA-DPB1 haplotypes, and evaluation of gene-environment and gene-gene interactions will be important for fully understanding the immunogenetic nature of this occupational disease. Published 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.