[Immunogenetic analysis of Cryptomeria pollinosis. Evidence for the HLA-linked immune suppression gene to Cryptomeria japonica pollen antigen].
The IgE response to Cryptomeria japonica pollen antigen (CPAg) in vivo was measured by radioimmunoassay, using plasma from 525 members of 98 families. 1) The 525 were classified into non plus low (non/low) responder group and high responder group. 2) Segregation analysis revealed that the non/low responsiveness to CPAg was formally a single dominant trait. 3) The frequency of this gene mediated for non/low responsiveness to CPAg was calculated to be 0.44-0.60. 4) Linkage analysis revealed that the gene controlling non/low responsiveness to CPAg is linked to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) with a maximum lod score, 3.40 at theta = 0.18. 5) Non/low responders' macrophage could present CPAg to B.T cell of high responders in an HLA-DR-shared combination. A foregoing study demonstrated that HLA-DR molecule function as a product of Ir-gene for CPAg and that the non/low response to CPAg was mediated by CPAg-specific suppressor T cells. Taken together, these observations clearly demonstrated that the non/low responsiveness to CPAg is not due to the defect of Ir-gene, but rather is mediated by the HLA-linked immune suppression gene for CPAg (Is-CPAg), through CPAg-specific suppressor T cells. This is the second report for HLA-linked Is-gene in humans.