Identification of 3kb Plasmid DNA from Shigella Flexneri Associated with Reiter’s Syndrome

Reiter’s Syndrome （RS） is well-known as a form of arthritis that develops notoriously in HLA-B27 positive subjects and Shigella Flexneri （SF） has long been proposed as the responsible agent of postdysenteric RS. In the present study, a strain of SF （designated as SF22682） was identified from one of the six RS patients on two occasions. Southern and dot hybridization was carried out between plasmid DNA extracted from SF22682 along with several other strains of SF and a synthesized 15 mer DNA probe. It was found that the probe hybridized only to a 3Kb pasmid DNA of SF22682. Since there is sequence homology between 15 mer DNA probe inferred pentapeptide and HLA-B27 residues, our results suggested that the 3Kb plasmid DNA might encode protein products showing sequence homology with HLA-B27 molecule and thus implicated in the pathogenesis of RS.