Diabetes, Vol 24, Issue 4 345-349, Copyright © 1975 by American Diabetes Association
HL-A system and diabetes mellitus
AG Cudworth and JC Woodrow
HL-A antigens were determined in 100 patients with diabetes mellitus. When
the data are combined with that from other studies, there is a definite
positive association of acute-onset juvenile diabetes mellitus with HL-A8
and W15. Four families are described in which two or more members with this
type of diabetes are present, and in each family, affected individuals
share a haplotype including HL-A8 or W15. These findings are consistent
with the possible role of immune response genes in the HL-A chromosomal
region which might control the immune response to virus infections capable
of producing islet cell damage.