Histocompatibility (HL-A) Antigens Associated with Psoriasis

HL-A phenotypes were determined in 44 unrelated and 22 related psoriatic patients to establish frequency of HL-A. HL-A13 was present in 12 of 44 unrelated patients, and in three of 89 controls (a difference significant at p less than 0.0001). W17 (Te57) was also present in 10 of 44 unrelated patients and in 17 family members with psoriasis examined of a dominant pedigree with psoriasis over four generations. Two members of the family not having W17, siblings 42 and 46 years old, did not have psoriasis. These findings suggest that HL-A phenotypes may be of value in studies regarding the etiology of psoriasis.