title: FCGR3B allele frequencies in Tunisians of sub-Saharan origin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The importance of human neutrophil antigens (HNA) in immunogenetics and their involvement in hematologic diseases have accelerated the elucidation of their molecular basis and their allele frequencies distribution has been described in many populations over the world. In this study, our aim was to evaluate the frequency of FCGR3B alleles encoding HNA-1a, 1b and 1c among Tunisians of sub-Saharan origin and to compare them to Tunisian blood donors and to a group from sub-Saharan Africa.
  
  
  METHODS
  We typed the DNA of 106 individuals (62 Tunisians of sub-Saharan origin, 33 Tunisian blood donors and 11 from sub-Saharan Africa) for the three FCGR3B alleles by polymerase chain reaction using sequence specific primer (PCR-SSP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  FCGR3B*1, FCGR3B*2 and FCGR3B*3 allele frequencies were respectively 0.347, 0.573 and 0.080 among Tunisians of sub-Saharan origin, 0.379, 0.591 and 0.030 among Tunisian blood donors and 0.318, 0.546 and 0.136 among the group from sub-Saharan Africa.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These allele frequencies were similar to those previously reported in other black and white populations. The frequencies found in the two Tunisian groups confirm the intermixing origin from Europe, sub-Africa and Asia of the Tunisian population. Our results provide a database for future studies of the HNA system and associated diseases in Tunisia.
authors.affiliation: National Blood Center, Tunis, Tunisia. oueslatimeriem@gmail.com
authors.forename: M Oueslati Belhaj
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Hassine
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ennafaa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kalai
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kibech
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Sellami
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bouzid
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaabi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abid
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000208:ethnology; D000483:Alleles; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D001782:Blood Donors; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005060:Europe / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000235:genetics*; D014416:Tunisia
chemical_list: C428200:FCGR3B protein, human; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D004247:DNA