The HLA-B27 gene variant has a strong connection with certain autoimmune disorders. Still, you can carry this variant and maintain flawless health. Read on to learn about HLA genes, the HLA-B27 variant, how it can be detected, and how it relates to autoimmunity. Finally, we share some tips to naturally balance the immune system and reduce inflammation.<\/p>\n
We have a more personalized version of this blog post on SelfDecode; check it out here<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system is a group of human genes encoding the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins, or HLAs. This system has three groups or classes; HLA-B<\/a> genes, along with HLA-A and HLA-C, belong to the class I [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n HLAs are proteins or antigens on the surface of white blood cells<\/a>. They help flag and remove external components that may cause infection. HLA-B antigens bring bacterial or viral proteins from the inside to the cell surface so T-lymphocytes can detect and kill the infected cell [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n They also have anti-cancer effects and play a role in organ transplant rejection [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n HLA genes come in many different forms or variants, which enable the fine-tuning of your immune system. Their diversity can be a double-edged sword, however, as some types increase the risk of autoimmune disorders [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The HLA-B27 antigen supports antiviral immune response by \u201cflagging\u201d peptides from viruses – such as influenza, HIV, and Epstein-Barr – and presenting them to T-killer cells [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The gene for HLA-B27 has over 100 variations. Despite the beneficial roles, HLA-B27 is strongly associated with a group of autoimmune joint disorders known as spondyloarthritis<\/em> (SpA) [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The most common variations associated with autoimmunity are [R<\/a>]:<\/p>\n On the other hand, HLA-B*27:06 seems to have a protective role [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The prevalence of HLA-B27 varies from 50% in some Indian populations to almost zero in Australian Aborigines. About 6% of the US population<\/strong> carries this variant, which is more common among white people [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to note that just because certain genotypes are associated with a disease, it doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that everyone with that genotype will actually develop the disease! Many different factors, including other genetic and environmental factors, can influence the risk of autoimmune diseases.<\/em><\/p>\n As mentioned, HLA-B27 strongly correlates with higher rates of certain autoimmune diseases, such as [R<\/a>]:<\/p>\n These conditions have a common name spondyloarthritis<\/em>, the main one being ankylosing spondylitis<\/strong> (AS). In AS, inflammation gradually fuses spine vertebrae, causing back pain<\/a> and limited movement. It usually affects young men [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Doctors treat AS with drugs such as NSAIDs and TNF-inhibitors, but their effectiveness is limited. Besides HLA-B27, other genetic and environmental factors are involved [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The connection between HLA-B27 and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is among the strongest in the HLA system: 90\u201395%<\/strong> of all AS patients have this variant. For other conditions, the prevalence ranges between 50-90% [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Does this mean almost everyone with HLA-B27 will get AS or another autoimmune disease? Not at all!<\/p>\n Approximately 1.3%<\/strong> of European HLA-B27 carriers have AS, though Caucasian (white) ethnicity and the presence of a family member with AS increase the chance 16-20 times [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Over 50% of people with anterior uveitis (eye inflammation) have this variant, but only 1% of all HLA-B27 carriers develop uveitis [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n In other words, HLA-B27 is involved in the above disorders, but many more factors contribute and decide which carriers will get them.<\/p>\n<\/a>What is HLA-B27?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/a>The HLA System<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>HLA-B27 Antigen<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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<\/a>Prevalence<\/strong><\/h4>\n
<\/a>HLA-B27 and Autoimmune Diseases<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/a>Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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<\/a>The Connection<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n