title: Human leukocyte antigen-DQA1 gene allelic distribution: experience of a major tertiary care center in Lebanon.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  DQA1 is a human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II molecule that is similar to the other class II molecules DR and DP. This study is the first of its kind to describe the distribution of HLA-DQA1 alleles in Lebanon.
  
  
  METHODS
  HLA-DQA1 typing was detected using the polymerase chain reaction/sequence-specific priming method in 111 Lebanese individuals referred for HLA typing and possible bone marrow donation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our data was compared to that of several populations. Some similarities were found between the Lebanese, Tunisian, Spanish, and Kuwaiti populations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This very first report from Lebanon will be of great help for later research to study the association of DQA1 alleles with major diseases in the Lebanese population and will add to the published international literature related to this important histocompatibility locus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shammaa
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khansa
authors.forename: Ghazi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zaatari
authors.forename: Rami A R
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Mahfouz
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D059848:HLA-DQ alpha-Chains; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D007861:Lebanon; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D059848:HLA-DQ alpha-Chains; C069050:HLA-DQA1 antigen