These data confirm that there is a correlation between HLA-DRB1*15:01, –DRB1*11:04, DRB1*11:01, –DRB1*04 and –DRB1*07:01 alleles and ABPA–CF susceptibility and suggest that HLA-DQB1*02:01 is an ABPA–CF resistance allele. Cystic fibrosis (MIM 219700) is the most common autosomal recessive disease in Caucasians [1]. Chronic lung disease, pancreatic insufficiency and male infertility

are the most characteristic clinical features. All of these phenotypic abnormalities are caused by mutations in the CFTR gene (MIM 602421). A spectrum of CFTR mutations in patients with CF from the region of Murcia (southeast of Spain) has previously been reported [2, 3]. On the other hand ABPA, a hypersensitivity lung PCI-32765 price disease that affects both patients with CF and those with asthma, is caused by colonization of the airways with the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus [4, 5]. ABPA affects approximately 1–2% of patients with AST and 7–9% of those with CF [6]. The clinical features of ABPA include asthma, pulmonary infiltrates, bronchiectasis and pulmonary fibrosis. The immune and inflammatory responses

against A. fumigatus antigens are characterized by increases in total serum IgE, specific IgE and IgG antibodies and precipitating antibodies and eosinophilia [7]. T cell reactivity in ABPA is characterized by the presence of CD4+ T cells producing IL-4 and IL-5 cytokines [8-10]. Associations between HLA class II antigen purified allergens and IgE responses have previously been reported [11-16]. Indeed, HLA-DRB1 alleles have previously this website been associated with ABPA susceptibility, although HLA-DQB1 allele associations have not been clearly established [17, 18]. Our aim was to study HLA class II allele frequencies in our patients with ABPA–CF and compare

their allele frequencies with those of patients with CF without ABPA, those with AST and healthy subjects to determine the role of various alleles in susceptibility or protection. Patients with ABPA–CF (n = 38), CF without ABPA (n = 46) and AST (n = 306) included in this study were recruited at the University Hospital Virgen de la Arrixaca from the Murcia region, in the southeast of Spain. CF mutational analysis was performed by the genetic service of Sinomenine our hospital, as previously reported [2, 3]. Patients with AST were diagnosed as previously reported [15, 16]. The control group comprised 176 unrelated healthy Caucasoid blood donors (CS) living in the same area. Patients with ABPA fulfilled the criteria for this diagnosis, as outlined by Patterson et al. [17]. ABPA was diagnosed by the presence of recurrent wheezing, chest radiographic infiltrates, peripheral blood eosinophilia, immediate A. fumigatus skin reactivity, positive precipitating antibodies against A. fumigatus antigens, increased serum total IgE concentrations of greater than 1000 IU/mL and IgE and IgG anti-A. fumigatus antibodies.