title: Absence of the HLA-G*0113N allele in Amerindian populations from the Brazilian Amazon region.
abstract: The HLA-G gene is predominantly expressed at the maternal-fetal interface and has been associated with maternal-fetal tolerance. The HLA-G*0113N is a null allele defined by the insertion of a premature stop codon at exon 2, observed in a single Ghanaian individual. Likewise the G*0105N allele, the occurrence of the HLA-G*0113N in a population from an area with high pathogen load suggests that the reduced HLA-G expression in G*0113N heterozygous placentas could improve the intrauterine defense against infections. The presence of the G*0113N allele here was investigated in 150 Amerindians from five isolated tribes that inhabit the Central Amazon and in 295 admixed individuals from the State of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, previously genotyped for HLA-G. No copy of the G*0113N null allele was found in both population samples by exon 2 sequence-based analysis, reinforcing its restricted occurrence in Africa.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, 14040-901, Ribeirão Preto-SP, Brazil. ctmendes@ffclrp.usp.br
authors.forename: Celso T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Mendes-Junior
authors.forename: Erick C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Castelli
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moreau
authors.forename: Aguinaldo L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Simões
authors.forename: Eduardo A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Donadi
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired; D007199:Indians, South American; D007239:Infections / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D033261:Maternal-Fetal Relations; D011247:Pregnancy; D017384:Sequence Deletion
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I