Reduced Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Protection in Gulf War Illness (GWI)

Reduced Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Protection in Gulf War Illness (GWI)

BACKGROUND Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a disease of unknown etiology with symptoms suggesting the involvement of an immune process. Here we tested the hypothesis that Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) composition might differ between veterans with and without GWI. METHODS We identified 144 unique alleles of Class I and II HLA genes in 82 veterans (66 with and 16 without GWI). We tested the hypothes...

Brain Correlates of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Protection in Gulf War Illness (GWI)

BACKGROUND We recently reported that six alleles from class II genes of the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) confer protection from Gulf War Illness (GWI) (Georgopoulos et al., 2015). The most significant effect is exerted on Neurological-Cognitive-Mood (NCM), Pain, and Fatigue symptoms, such that higher number of copies of the protective alleles are associated with lower symptom severity. Here we...

Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) and Gulf War Illness (GWI): HLA-DRB1*13:02 Spares Subcortical Atrophy in Gulf War Veterans

BACKGROUND Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a multisystem disorder that has affected a substantial number of veterans who served in the 1990-91 Gulf War. The brain is prominently affected, as manifested by the presence of neurological, cognitive and mood symptoms. We reported previously on the protective role of six Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) alleles in GWI (Georgopoulos et al., 2016) and their ass...

A Magnetoencephalographic (MEG) Study of Gulf War Illness (GWI)

BACKGROUND Gulf War Illness (GWI) has affected many Gulf War veterans. It involves several organs, most notably the brain. Neurological-cognitive-mood-related symptoms frequently dominate and are at the root of chronic ill-health and disability in GWI. Here we investigated the neural mechanisms underlying brain dysfunction in GWI in the absence of mental health disorders. METHODS Eighty-six v...

Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Associations and Gulf War Illness (GWI) A Thesis SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA BY Jasmine E. Joseph IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE Adviser: