HLA‐A, HLA‐B, and HLA‐DRB1 allele distribution in a large Armenian population sample

Abstract

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A, HLA-B, and HLA-DRB1 gene frequencies were investigated in 4279 unrelated Armenian bone marrow donors. HLA alleles were defined by using PCR amplification with sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP) high- and low-resolution kits. The aim of this study was to examine the HLA diversity at the high-resolution level in a large Armenian population sample, and to compare HLA allele group distribution in Armenian subpopulations. The most frequently observed alleles in the HLA class I were HLA-A*0201, A*0101, A*2402, A*0301, HLA-B*5101, HLA-B*3501, and B*4901. Among DRB1 alleles, high frequencies of DRB1*1104 and DRB1*1501 were observed, followed by DRB1*1101 and DRB1*1401. The most common three-locus haplotype found in the Armenian population was A*33-B*14-DRB1*01, followed by A*03-B*35-DRB1*01. Our results show a similar distribution of alleles in Armenian subpopulations from different countries, and from different regions of the Republics of Armenia and Karabagh. The low level of genetic distances between subpopulations indicates a high level of population homogeneity, and the genetic distances between Armenians and other populations show Armenians as a distinct ethnic group relative to others, reflecting the fact that Armenians have been an 'isolated population' throughout centuries. This study is the first comprehensive investigation of HLA-allele group distribution in a subset of Armenian populations, and the first to provide HLA-allele and haplotype frequencies at a high-resolution level. It is a valuable reference for organ transplantation and for future studies of HLA-associated diseases in Armenian populations.

Origin of Azeris (Iran) according to HLA genes

“…This is consistent with data reported by previous HLA studies (Matevosyan et al 2011;ArnaizVillena et al 2001c;Arnaiz-Villena et al 2002) Genetic studies based on mtDNA and Y-chr confirms a high degree of haplogroups diversity in Central Asian populations, suggesting that these groups are between the most ancient ones of the continent (Wells et al 2001;Quintana-Murci et al 2004). Previous HLA studies are consistent with these conclusions and show Siberian and Central Asian population as a monophyletic cluster, in which Altaic groups are close to European populations.…”

“…The nine most frequent four HLA loci haplotype combinations (A-B-DRB1-DQB1) were calculated (Table 4) Gonzalez-Galarza et al 2011;Matevosyan et al 2011;Isabel et al 1998;Uinuk-Ool et al 2002;Arnaiz-Villena et al 2003;Arnaiz-Villena et al 1999;Grahovac et al 1998;Rey et al 2013;Rey et al 2014;Munkhbat et al 1997;Gomez-Casado et al 2000;Arnaiz-Villena et al 2016;Mack and Erlich, 2006;Moscoso et al 2008;Farjadian and Ghaderi, 2007).…”

The distributions of HLA‐A, HLA‐B, HLA‐C, HLA‐DRB1 and HLA‐DQB1 allele and haplotype at high‐resolution level in Zhejiang Han population of China

“…The distributions of HLA alleles and haplotypes are varied among different populations and ethnic groups. In recent years, the evaluation of HLA alleles and haplotypes frequency has been reported in a variety of populations (Buhler, Nunes, Sanchez‐Mazas, & Richard, ; Grubic et al, ; Halagan et al, ; Li et al, ; Matevosyan et al, ; Park, Lee, Song, & Park, ; Wang et al, ). We recently have also reported the HLA‐A, HLA‐B, HLA‐DRB1 allele and haplotype frequencies from the Zhejiang province (He et al, ).…”

HLA‐A, ‐B and ‐DRB1 allele and haplotype frequencies of 8333 Chinese Han from the Zhejiang province, China

“…Furthermore, matching of unrelated stem cell transplantation between donors and recipients at the haplotype level has a better likelihood of matching at other loci within the HLA region than for donors merely matched at the individual allelic level (Kempenich et al ., ). Now several studies have examined the frequencies of HLA alleles and haplotypes based on serological/generic level DNA typing in a variety of populations (Mack et al ., ; Shen et al ., ; Mack et al ., ; Matevosyan et al ., ; Qin et al ., ; Yao et al ., ; Li et al ., ). We also recently have reported the HLA‐A, HLA‐B, HLA‐DRB1 allele and haplotype frequencies with generic level based on 6384 umbilical cord blood units in China (Wang et al ., ).…”

“…It is known that the distribution of HLA alleles and haplotypes varies considerably among different ethnic populations, and furthermore the difference is much greater at allelic level than at serologic/generic level. Although the data for HLA allele and haplotype was reported in some populations (Mack et al ., ; Shen et al ., ; Mack et al ., ; Matevosyan et al ., ; Qin et al ., ; Yao et al ., ; Li et al ., ), large scale HLA typing and haplotype analysis data at allelic level in the Chinese Han population is limited, including the data of the residents in Zhejiang Province, China. Zhejiang Province (Fig.…”