HLA-B27 FITC

HLA-B27 is a type of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecule. These class I MHC molecules are glycoproteins found on the surface of nearly all nucleated cells and platelets in the human body. The HLA-B27 antigen has a strong association with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a long-term inflammatory condition that primarily affects the spine and sacroiliac joints, as well as with several other rheumatic diseases such as Reiter’s syndrome, acute anterior uveitis, and inflammatory bowel disease. Because approximately 90% of individuals diagnosed with AS carry the HLA-B27 antigen—compared to only about 8% of the general population, HLA-B27 testing is commonly used as a diagnostic tool for identifying potential cases of AS.