[Progress on genetic susceptibility to ankylosing spondylitis]

Abstract

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a highly heritable, common inflammatory rheumatic disease. Since 1970s, evidence has increasingly pointed to HLA-B27 as the major gene involved in susceptibility to AS. However, genome-wide scan and association studies have shown, in addition to HLA, regions outside the HLA are involved in susceptibility to AS. Furthermore, there is compelling evidence that non-B27 genes, either within or outside the HLA, are involved in disease aetiology. This review mainly summarized different genes associated with AS, and the current progress in this exciting area.