title: Polymorphism of HLA in the Romanian population.
abstract: We have investigated the HLA-class I and class II polymorphism in a population of 83 Romanians using conventional serology together with PCR amplification and oligonucleotide typing of HLA-class II genes. Romanians show a higher frequency of HLA-A11, B13, B18, B37, B39, B51 and DR2 than other European populations. HLA-DRB1*1501 and 1601 account for the high frequency of the serologic specificity DR2. In Romanians, HLA-DR2 is in linkage disequilibrium with HLA-B18 and HLA-Bw52 rather than with HLA-B7 as in the case in other Europeans. Unexpected HLA-DR2 haplotypes include HLA-DRB1*1502, DQA1*0102, DQB1*0601; HLA-DRB1*1602, DQA1*0102, DQB1*0502. Other unusual haplotypes include HLA-DRB1*0405, DQA1*03, DQB1*0302; HLA-DRB1*1305, DQA1*0103, DQB1*0603; and HLA-DRB1*1405, DQA1*0101, DQB1*05032. Analysis of the genetic distance between Romanians and other Europeans who have been studied serologically are consistent with the hypothesis that Romanians descend from Roman ancestors who colonized Dacia between the 1st century B.C. and 1st century A.D.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lupu
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McManus
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vasilescu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Foca-Rodi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suciu-Foca
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D015343:DNA Probes, HLA / Q000235:genetics; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D012383:Romania / Q000208:ethnology; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D015343:DNA Probes, HLA; D006680:HLA Antigens