title: HLA class I polymorphism in the Albanian population.
abstract: The HLA class I polymorphism was studied in a sample of the Albanian population. Ninety-three unrelated healthy Albanians were typed for HLA-A, -B and -Cw antigens by standard microlyphocytotoxicity test. The antigens with the highest frequencies were: HLA-A2 (34.4%), A3 (14.5%) and A1 (12.4%); B51 (19.3%), B35 (12.4%) and B18 (10.2%); Cw4 (16.2%), Cw7 (16.2%) and Cw6 (10.8%). The HLA haplotypes with high frequency in Albanians included A2-B51 (4.3%), A2-B18 (2.4%), A2-B35 (2.4%), Cw4-B35 (7.6%), and Cw7-B18 (6.5%), which are not significantly different from the other neighboring populations. Low frequency of HLA-A1-B8 haplotype (1.1%) is noted in the Albanian population. The frequency of HLA-B27 antigen (1.1%) is one of the lowest frequencies observed in Caucasians. Such results are important in studies of HLA-A1-B8, HLA-B27 and disease associations. These findings should be also useful in understanding the origin of Albanians, representing a base for future studies about HLA polymorphism in the Albanian population.
authors.affiliation: National Referral Organ Transplantation and Tissue Typing Center, University Hospital Center Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Grubić
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kerhin-Brkljacić
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cecuk-Jelicić
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuci
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kastelan
mesh_terms: D000415:Albania; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics