The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is the chromosomal region which contributes the most to the genetic risk of autoimmune diseases. This gene complex comprises a large number of genes encoding proteins with important roles in the immune system; hence the MHC is a “jungle” of good candidate genes for autoimmune diseases. Interestingly, for several autoimmune diseases it is clear that several genes in the MHC is involved in disease predisposition, and one of our research goals are to dissect and pinpoint precisely which MHC genes contribute to disease susceptibility and/or protection. Furthermore, we also aim at identifying genetic risk factors elsewhere in the genome through genome-wide association studies, candidate gene studies, copy number variation screens, etc. The identification of genetic variants involved in disease predisposition and disease progression provides important knowledge for understanding the pathological mechanisms and for development of more specific therapies.

The Immunogenetics research group at the Institute of Immunology also comprises of member the Norwegian Primary Sclerosis Cholangitis Research Center and Oslo Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Group.

Selected publications:

1. Eike MC, Becker T, Humphreys K, Olsson M, Lie BA. Conditional analyses on the T1DGC MHC dataset: novel associations with type 1 diabetes around HLA-G and confirmation of HLA-B. Genes Immun. 2008
2. Lorentzen AR, Smestad C, Lie BA, Oturai AB, Akesson E, Saarela J, Myhr KM, Vartdal F, Celius EG, Sørensen PS, Hillert J, Spurkland A, Harbo HF. The SH2D2A gene and susceptibility to multiple sclerosis. J Neuroimmunol. 2008;197:152-8.
3. Melum E, Karlsen TH, Schrumpf E, Bergquist A, Thorsby E, Boberg KM, Lie BA. Cholangiocarcinoma in primary sclerosing cholangitis is associated with NKG2D polymorphisms. Hepatology. 2008;47:90-6
4. Karlsen TH, Boberg KM, Olsson M, Sun JY, Senitzer D, Bergquist A, Schrumpf E, Thorsby E, Lie BA. Particular genetic variants of ligands for natural killer cell receptors may contribute to the HLA associated risk of primary sclerosing cholangitis.
   J Hepatol. 2007;46:899-906
5. Viken MK, Amundsen SS, Kvien TK, Boberg KM, Gilboe IM, Lilleby V, Sollid LM, Førre OT, Thorsby E, Smerdel A, Lie BA. Association analysis of the 1858C>T polymorphism in the PTPN22 gene in juvenile idiopathic arthritis and other autoimmune diseases.
   Genes Immun. 2005;6:271-3.

(from http://www.med.uio.no/rh/immi/research/immunogenetics/)