Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 14 3 2015 10 18 306 312 EN Mojgan Mohammadi Physiology Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman Universityof Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran AND Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran Maryam Rastin Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran Houshang Rafatpanah Inflammation and Inflammatory Diseases Research Center,School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical sciences, Mashhad, Iran Haleh Abdoli-Sereshki Physiology Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran MohammadJavad Zahedi Department of Gastroenterology, Afzalipour Hospital, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran AminReza Nikpoor Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran Mohammad Reza Baneshi Modelling in Health Research Centre, Institute of Future Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran Mohammad Mahdi Hayatbakhsh Department of Gastroenterology, Afzalipour Hospital, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran AND Gastroenterology and Hepatology Research Center, Institute of Basic and Clinical Physiology Sciences, kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran 2015 10 18 2015 10 18 The association of HLA class II genes with ulcerative colitis (UC) as an autoimmune disease has been investigated for several years. However, factors responsible for genetic predisposition of this disease have so far not been clearly understood. In this study, for the first time, we aimed to investigate the association between HLA-DRB1 types and UC in the population of Kerman, a city southeast Iran. HLA typing was performed among 85 UC patients and 95 healthy controls using PCRamplification, employing sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP). The DRB1 frequencies were determined in the patients and controls. HLA-DRB1*04 was negatively associated with UC. Furthermore, HLA-DRB1*13 was significantly associated with severity of the disease (p=0.01) among UC patients. This is the novel result that describes an association of HLA-DRB1*13 with UC and also shows the protective role of HLA-DRB1*04 against the disease in people of Kerman. https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/572 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/572/457