title: [Association between Alu insertion polymorphisms and HLA class I alleles in Chinese Lisu and Nu ethnic populations].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the frequencies of HLA-Alu repeat polymorphisms (AluMICB, AluTF, AluHJ, AluHG and AluHF) in Chinese Lisu and Nu ethnic populations.
  
  
  METHODS
  The frequencies of HLA-Alu repeat polymorphisms in above populations were determined with polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The associations between HLA-Alu repeat polymorphisms and HLA-A, HLA-B and HLA-C alleles were also analyzed. Phylogenetic trees were constructed with genetic distance calculated from the frequencies of HLA-Alu repeat polymorphisms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Frequencies of AluTF*2 and AluHF*2 were different between the two populations (P< 0.05), while those of other three insertions were similar. The strength of association between HLA-Alus and HLA alleles were different (P< 0.05) in the two populations. Although AluMICB*2 were associated with HLA-B*56:01 in both populations, the association was stronger in Lisu population (74.0%) but moderate in Nu population (30.7%). HLA-Alus were associated with particular HLA subtypes, e.g., AluHG*2 with certain HLA-A*02 subtypes. By phylogenetic analysis, Lisu and Nu were clustered together with southern Chinese and Thai populations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The distribution of HLA-Alus and the strength of associations between HLA-Alus and HLA class I alleles have varied between the two populations. Study of this association may facilitate identification of origins, evolution, progenitor haplotypes and recombination within the HLA class I region.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhao-mei
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Yu-feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Yu-fen
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Ke-qin
authors.initials: KQ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Xiao-qin
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Zhao-qing
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jia-you
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D020087:Alu Elements; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010802:Phylogeny; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D055815:Young Adult