This is an interesting thread. I myself know that I carry the HLA B27 Gene. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HLA-B27 I don't have enough family left to check the link very far. I do know that my paternal grandmother, and my father also carry this gene and suffered the damage from it. My Dad has Rheumatoid Arthritis and I suspect my grandmother did too. She died when I was in my early 20's. But I remember her as being very crippled up and sickly. Her autopsy revealed she had cancer of the bone. That is three generations of defective gene. I don't know if my son carries this gene, he refuses to be tested and I didn't find out about my own in time to check his.

My defective gene is probably pretty common but the Sjogren's and it's damage isn't. That is one of the reasons that I left my DNA all over the labs at Mayo. Perhaps future generations will benefit from my history.

Billye