High frequency of HLA-A*0207 subtype in Chinese population.
BACKGROUND
HLA-A2 is the most polymorphic and most common HLA phenotype found in various ethnic populations. Seventeen HLA-A2 subtypes have been reported and characterized by molecular techniques. Differences among these subtypes are limited to a few amino acids. Among them, HLA-A*0201 is the predominant subtype among whites. The results of a recent study, however, suggest that the HLA-A*0207 subtype may be present at a high frequency in the Chinese population.


METHODS
To determine the exact frequency of the HLA-A*0207 subtype in the Chinese population, genomic DNA samples obtained from 54 HLA-A2-positive Chinese in Taiwan were studied by using sequence-specific primers and polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
HLA-A*0207 was present in 56 percent of the studied subjects. The estimated gene frequency for HLA-A*0207 is 17.8 percent in the Chinese population.


CONCLUSIONS
HLA-A*0207 is the most common HLA-A2 subtype among Chinese. The high frequency of the HLA-A*0207 allele in this population offers a unique opportunity to study the ways in which different HLA-A2 subtypes may influence the clinical outcome of allograft transplantation and the disease susceptibility of recipients.
Shieh
D C
DC
Department of Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA.
Lin
D T
DT
Yang
B S
BS
Kuan
H L
HL
Kao
K J
KJ
D000483:Alleles; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D005787:Gene Frequency; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013624:Taiwan
D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen