Risk HLA-DQA1 and PLA ₂ R1 Alleles in Idiopathic Membranous Nephropathy

Abstract

An HLA-DQA1 allele on chromosome 6p21 is most closely associated with idiopathic membranous nephropathy in persons of white ancestry. This allele may facilitate an autoimmune response against targets such as variants of PLA2R1. Our findings suggest a basis for understanding this disease and illuminate how adaptive immunity is regulated by HLA.