A major linkage region on distal chromosome 4 confers susceptibility to mouse autoimmune gastritis

Abstract

Although much is known about the pathology of human chronic atrophic (type A, autoimmune) gastritis, its cause is poorly understood. Mouse experimental autoimmune gastritis (EAG) is a CD4+ T cell-mediated organ- specific autoimmune disease of the stomach that is induced by neonatal thymectomy of BALB/c mice. It has many features similar to human antoimmune gastritis. To obtain a greater understanding of the genetic components predisposing to autoimmune gastritis, a linkage analysis study was performed on (BALB/cCrSlc x C57BL/6)F2 intercross mice using 126 microsatellite markers covering 95% of the antosomal genome. Two regions with linkage to EAG were identified on distal chromosome 4 and we..