Juvenile myasthenia gravis in Norway: HLA-DRB1*04:04 is positively associated with prepubertal onset.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Juvenile myasthenia gravis (MG) is a rare autoantibody mediated autoimmune disorder targeting the neuromuscular endplate. The clinical hallmark is muscle weakness and fatigability. Disease aetiology is complex, including both genetic and environmental factors. The involvement of genes in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) is well established in adult MG. However, HLA associations in European juvenile MG have not been studied. This case-control study aimed to investigate and characterize genetic risk factors in prepubertal and postpubertal onset juvenile MG.

Methodology/principal findings

A population based Norwegian cohort of 43 juvenile MG patients (17 with prepubertal onset, 26 with postpubertal onset) and 368 controls were included. Next generation sequencing of

SUBMITTER: Popperud TH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5643110 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature