title: HLA DR and DQ polymorphism in Ashkenazi and non-Ashkenazi Jews: comparison with other Mediterraneans.
abstract: HLA-DR and DQ alleles have been detected by DNA typing in Ashkenazi and non-Ashkenazi Jews from Israel. Allele frequencies, characteristic DR/DQ linkage disequilibria, population distances and their corresponding dendrogram by using the Neighbor-Joining method were used to study relatedness between Jewish and other Mediterranean and non Mediterranean populations. Closest relatedness is observed between Ashkenazi and non-Ashkenazi Jews, and, in decreasing order, also with Algerians, Spaniards (including Spanish-Basques), French and Italians. Also, particular characteristic Central European alleles are observed in Ashkenazi Jews and Mediterranean/African alleles in non-Ashkenazi Jews. This is consistent with historical data, Jews being an ancient Mediterranean population, who have had a certain degree of admixture with their 2000-3000 years old neighbors in spite of cultural and religious traditions which have preserved identity outside Israel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martinez-Laso
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gazit
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gomez-Casado
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Martinez-Quiles
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Martin-Villa
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arnaiz-Villena
mesh_terms: D000462:Algeria / Q000208:ethnology; D044383:Black People / Q000235:genetics; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000208:ethnology; D007585:Jews / Q000235:genetics*; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D019083:Mediterranean Region / Q000208:ethnology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000276:immunology*; D013030:Spain / Q000208:ethnology; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens