title: Distribution of HLA-B alleles in Mexican Amerindian populations.
abstract: In the present study we analyzed by PCR-SSO technique the HLA-B gene frequencies in 281 healthy individuals from four Mexican Amerindian populations (66 Mayos, 90 Mazatecans, 72 Nahuas and 53 Teenek). The most frequent alleles in all studied populations were HLA-B35, HLA-B39, and HLA-B40; however, some differences were observed between populations. The HLA-B35 allele was the most frequent in three of the four populations studied (Mayos, Nahuas and Teenek), whereas in Mazatecans the most frequent allele was HLA-B39. HLA-B40 presented frequencies higher than 10% in all groups. On the other hand, only Mayos presented an HLA-B51 gene frequency higher than 10%. When comparisons were made, important differences between groups were observed. The Teenek group presented an increased frequency of HLA-B35 when compared to Mazatecans and the HLA-B52 allele was increased in Nahuas and Teenek when compared to Mayos. An increased frequency of HLA-B39 was observed in Mazatecans when compared to Nahuas, Mayos and Teenek. Also, an increased frequency of HLA-B51 was observed in Mayos when compared to Mazatecans and Nahuas. These data corroborate the restricted polymorphism of HLA-B alleles and the high frequency of HLA-B35, HLA-B39 and HLA-B40 alleles in autochthonous American populations. In spite of the restriction in this polymorphism, differences in frequencies of HLA-B alleles could be helpful in distinguishing each of these populations.
authors.affiliation: Physiology Department, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City, Mexico. gvargas63@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vargas-Alarcón
authors.forename: Guadalupe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hernández-Pacheco
authors.forename: Joaquín
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zuñiga
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Pérez
authors.forename: Nonanzit
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pérez-Hernández
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rangel
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Villarreal-Garza
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martínez-Laso
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Granados
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arnaiz-Villena
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000235:genetics; D005787:Gene Frequency; D015235:HLA-B Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000235:genetics*; D008800:Mexico; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D015235:HLA-B Antigens