Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry

For the purpose of evaluating the human leukocyte antigen(HLA) disease-association with bipolar disorder, HLA class I and class II allelic frequencies were assessed in 37 bipolar patients and were compared to the data from normal population. HLA class 1 typing was performed with microlymphocytotoxicity method while class II(DRB1) genotyping with reverse dot blot hybridization and sandwich method. Statistical analysis consisted of relative risk, Haldane's modified relative risk, Fisher's exact test and Bonferoni's corrected P. The results were as follows : 1) Bipolar patients showed increased allelic frequency of HLA A3 which has statistical significance. 2) Allelic frequencies of HLA B7, B14 and B54 were higher, while those of B51 and B55 were lower in bipolar patients, but they were not statistically significant. 3) Both of increased frequencies of DR2 in bipolar patients and DR15 in normal controls had statistical significance. The results of the present study suggested that some of HLA allelic types might be associated with bipolar disorder. To clarify the genetic influence of HLA to bipolar disorder, we should do consecutive study of bipolar disorder with new information about HLA system including alleles.

Keywords Bipolar disorder;HLA.