Objective: To evaluate association between type I diabetes in children and HLA-DRB1 alleles in Harbin.
Methods: Case-control method was employed, and the PCR-SSP technique was used to identify HLA-DRB1 alleles.
Results: The frequencies of DRB1 * 0301 and DR3/4 heterozygosity were significantly higher but the frequency of DR2 was significantly lower in cases than that in controls. In DR4 subtypes, the frequency of DRB1 * 0405 was higher and the frequency of DRB1 * 0406 was lower in cases than that in the controls. The difference between cases and controls in DRB1 * 0901 was not significant.
Conclusion: DRB1 * 0301 allele and DR3/4 heterozygosity were the important susceptibility and heterozygosity genes while DR2 was the most important protective gene in Harbin. The DR4 possessed double-tendency. DRB1 * 0405 conferred susceptibility and DRB1 * 0406 conferred little protection. The susceptibility conferred by DRB1 * 0901 was not certain in type I diabetes in childhood in China. This study provided useful genetic data on the study of etiology of type I diabetes mellitus.