Kurds HLA Genes: Its Implications in Transplantation and Pharmacogenomics

Abstract

HLA genes (class I and II) have been studied in a Kurd population from Iran (North West towns of Saqqez and Baneh, close to Irak border). Kurds speak an Iranian language. HLA Kurd profile has been compared with those of Central Asians, Siberians, Mediterraneans and other worldwide populations; a total of 7746 chromosomes were used for computer comparisons. Both Neighbor-joining and correspondence genetic analyses place Kurds in the Mediterranean population cluster, close to Iranians, Europeans and Caucasus populations (Svan and Georgian). New extended HLA haplotypes are described, being A*02:01-B*35:01-DRB1*01:01-DQB1*05:01 and A*24:02-B*18:09-DRB1*11:01- DQB1*03:01 the most frequent ones; other Kurd extended haplotypes are also found in Azeris and Palestinians. This research work may be useful for: 1) future Iranian Kurds transplantation regional programs, 2) HLA pharmacogenomics in order to practise a preventive Medicine and drug side effects, and 3) Epidemiology of HLA-associated diseases in Kurds.

Genetic HLA Study of Kurds in Iraq, Iran and Tbilisi (Caucasus, Georgia): Relatedness and Medical Implications

“…(This Fig is similar but not identical to Fig 1 in Ref [13]; It has been included only for illustrative purposes).…”

“…Cluster A groups North and South Mediterraneans (Europeans and Africans) and Middle East populations (included Iraq Kurds, Iran Kurds [13] and Georgia Kurds [5]). Cluster B includes Central and eastern Siberians and Oriental population: such Tuvinians [3], Todja, Tofalar, Ulchi, Negidal [31], Japanese [20], Kets, Evenks [34].…”

“…Cluster B includes Central and eastern Siberians and Oriental population: such Tuvinians [3], Todja, Tofalar, Ulchi, Negidal [31], Japanese [20], Kets, Evenks [34]. Cluster A1 contains Iraq Kurds and Georgia Kurds, which are placed together [5], Palestinians [41], Armenians [20], Iran Kurds [13], East Europe (Croatians) [21], Cretans [33], Macedonians [38], Near East (Lebanese) [21] and Non-Ashkenazi Jews [28] (Fig 2). Cluster A2 places together other Mediterraneans (Europeans and Africans such as Spaniards and Spanish Basques) [43], French [20], Berbers [30] and Moroccans [39] (Fig 2).…”

“…HLA allele typing data from Iran Kurds [13] have been converted to low resolution typing data in order to be able to carry out all analyses with as many populations as possible, while relatedness resolution is satisfactory given the very polymorphic HLA system [1]. …”

“…Studies performed with mtDNA and Y-chr have also been done for Kurds, however there is no firm conclusion to infer that most Kurd people have originated either from Middle East and/or from Central Asia [7,8]. Most probably, Kurd people gene pool majority may be composed of an admixture of North Mesopotamian (Caucasus) and Near East peoples; Central Asia gene input is not discarded [5,9,10,11,12,13]. Kurds have mainly been defined by their ancestry, language and cultural uses.…”