Immunoglobulin allotypes in Crohn's disease in the Netherlands

An association between Crohn's disease and immunoglobulin allotypes has been reported. Confirmation of this association in other populations would be of particular importance for the study of hereditary factors in Crohn's disease. In the present study we have typed 155 unrelated Dutch patients with Crohn's disease and 450 blood donors for the Gm, Am, and Km markers. No significant differences were found in Gm phenotypes and haplotypes between patients and controls. It therefore seems unlikely that the immunoglobulin allotypes play an important role in the susceptibility of individuals to Crohn's disease.