Association of class I and II HLA alleles and haplotypes with susceptibility to vitiligo: a study of patients with vitiligo from southeast Brazil.

Background: The association of vitiligo with the HLA complex has been previously described in various populations worldwide. However, until now, no similar study has been conducted in Brazil. The aim of this study was to determine the association of HLA alleles with vitiligo in the population of southeast Brazil.

Human leukocyte antigen class I and class II alleles are associated with susceptibility and resistance in borderline leprosy patients from Southeast Brazil.

Background: Evidence suggests that human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles influence the host immune response against Mycobacterium leprae. However, the association between HLA alleles and borderline (B) leprosy has not been studied. The aim of this study was to determine whether HLA class I and II molecules are associated with susceptibility or resistance to B leprosy including borderline-tuberculoid (BT), borderline-borderline (BB), and borderline-lepromatous (BL).

Influence of KIR genes and their HLA ligands in the pathogenesis of leprosy in a hyperendemic population of Rondonópolis, Southern Brazil.

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate the association between KIR genes and the immunopathogenesis of leprosy.

Methods: The types of KIR and HLA genes were evaluated by PCR-SSOP-Luminex in 408 patients with leprosy and 413 healthy individuals. Statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-square or Fisher's exact test and stepwise multivariate analysis.