Microsatellite polymorphism of the MICA gene and susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis

D.P. Singal, J. Li, G. Zhang

Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

ABSTRACT
We examined the role of MICA gene alleles in susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Ninety adult Caucasian patients with classical seropositive RA and 85 normal healthy Caucasian subjects from the same geographical area were typed for microsatellite repeat polymorphism in the transmembrane region of the MICA gene by the polymerase chain reaction. The results show that the MICA allele 6 may confer protection from the development of RA

Key words
RA, MICA, HLA.

This work was supported by the Arthritis Society, Canada.

Please address correspondence to: Professor D.P. Singal, Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8N 3Z5.
E-mail: singald@fhs.csu.mcmaster.ca.

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2001; 19: 451-452.
© Copyright Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology 2001.