HLA and autoimmune rheumatic diseases: association studies in Japan and recent progress in research

Abstract

Since the discovery of association between ankylosing spondylitis and HLA-B27 in 1973, HLA genes have been the most established causal factors for autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Numerous association studies as well as studies on the molecular mechanisms using cutting-edge methodologies of the time revealed a large amount of information, and even larger amount of new questions. Here we review the association data in Japan, and also introduce recent progress in HLA research, on the major autoimmune rheumatic diseases.