Fifty years of HLA-associated type 1 diabetes risk: history, current knowledge, and future directions

More than 50 years have elapsed since the association of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) with type 1 diabetes (T1D) was first reported. Since then, methods for identification of HLA have progressed from cell based to DNA based, and the number of recognized HLA variants has grown from a few to tens of thousands. Current genotyping methodology allows for exact identification of all HLA-encoding genes in an individual’s genome, with statistical analysis methods evolving to digest the enormous amount of data that can be produced at an astonishing rate. The HLA region of the genome has been repeatedly shown to be the most important genetic risk factor for T1D, and the original reported associations have been replicated, refined, and expanded. Even with the remarkable progress through 50 years and over 5,000 reports, a comprehensive understanding of all effects of HLA on T1D remains elusive. This report represents a summary of the field as it evolved and as it stands now, enumerating many past and present challenges, and suggests possible paradigm shifts for moving forward with future studies in hopes of finally understanding all the ways in which HLA influences the pathophysiology of T1D.