The novel HLA-DRB1*0807 allele is present in a Carib Amerindian population: the Yucpa.
Nucleotide sequences of five novel HLA-DRB1*08 alleles have been recently reported but their frequency in different populations is still unknown. The presence of DRB1*08 variants among Carib-speaking Yucpa Amerindians of the Perijá Range in the border between Colombia and Venezuela was tested by PCR-DNA typing. DRB1*0807 was the only DRB1*08 variant found in this population with a frequency of 0.1250. Until very recently, DRB1*0802 was the predominant DRB1*08 allele present among full-blooded Amerindians, but in the last 3 years DRB1*0804 has been found in 2 South American tribes and *0811 in 2 North American tribes. The description of a new functional DRB1*08 variant in Amerindians suggests that extensive gene polymorphism among Amerindians might not be limited to the HLA-B Class I locus.
Layrisse
Z
Z
Centro de Medicina Experimental, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientificas, Caracas, Venezuela. zlayriss@medicina.ivic.ve
Matos
M
M
Montagnani
S
S
Herrera
F
F
D000483:Alleles; D015894:Genome, Human; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D006801:Humans; D007199:Indians, South American; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains