Our results suggest that HLA alleles, especially amino-acid signatures of the HLA-DP β chain, might contribute to the molecular pathogenesis of early-onset AITD.
Because this haplotype was in linkage disequilibrium with DPB1*0501, an allele associated with AITD in Japanese patients, the patient was homozygous for alleles susceptible to IDDM, RA, and AITD.