This study confirms the previously recognized association of HLA-DRB1*03:01 with AQP4-IgG+ NMOSD in White patients and extends this association to the HLA-DRB1*03:01:01∼HLA-DQA1*05:01:01∼HLA-DQB1*02:01:01 haplotype. Furthermore, it identifies an association of HLA-DRB1*08:04 with AQP4-IgG+ NMOSD in Black patients. However, no HLA associations were detected in White AQP4-IgG- patients with NMOSD. The immunogenetic differences between AQP4-IgG+ and AQP4-IgG- NMOSD support pathophysiologic distinctions between these entities.
Niederschweiberer et al. (Thu,) studied this question.