Association and linkage studies of immunoglobulin heavy chain allotypes in inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease is a familial disorder of unknown etiology, characterized by a variety of immunological abnormalities for which there are no proven genetic markers. Studies of immunoglobulin heavy chain and light chain allotypes were undertaken in 89 patients with Crohn''s disease and in 18 families with ulcerative colitis or Crohn''s disease in at least two first-degree relatives, to search for association and/or linkage between a postulated disease susceptibility locus and an immunoglobulin allotype locus. No evidence of association or linkage with a specific immunoglobulin allotype was found.