Identification of HLA antigens in familial and non-familial epidermodysplasia verruciformis.
The distribution of HLA specificities was studied in 7 non-familial cases of epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV) and in 5 cases from one family. In the non-familial cases, six antigens of locus A (2, 3, 9, 10, 24, 26) and eight antigens of locus B (7, 15, 27, 35, 37, 38, 40, 41) were found. All 5 cases of familial EV possessed 26,5 haplotype, however, 6 of the remaining 12 healthy family members inherited the same haplotype. There is no association of EV with HLA-A and B antigens. However, the defect of cell-mediated immunity, present in all EV cases, may indicate the association of the disease with other major histocompatibility products (i.e. loci on immune response genes).