title: HLA-A, B and DRB1 allele and haplotype frequencies in volunteer bone marrow donors from the north of Parana State.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Knowledge of allele and haplotype frequencies of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system is important in the search for unrelated bone marrow donors. The Brazilian population is very heterogeneous and the HLA system is highly informative of populations because of the high level of polymorphisms.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to characterize the immunogenetic profile of ethnic groups (Caucasians, Afro-Brazilians and Asians) in the north of Parana State.
  
  
  METHODS
  A study was carried out of 3978 voluntary bone marrow donors registered in the Brazilian National Bone Marrow Donor Registry and typed for the HLA-A, B and DRB1 (low resolution) loci. The alleles were characterized by the polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific oligonucleotides method using the LabType SSO kit (One Lambda, CA, USA). The ARLEQUIN v.3.11 computer program was used to calculate allele and haplotype frequencies
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common alleles found in Caucasians were HLA-A*02, 24, 01; HLA-B*35, 44, 51; DRB1*11, 13, 07; for Afro-Brazilians they were HLA-A*02, 03, 30; HLA-B*35, 15, 44; DRB1*13, 11, 03; and for Asians they were: HLA-A*24, 02, 26; HLA-B*40, 51, 52; DRB1*04, 15, 09. The most common haplotype combinations were: HLA-A*01, B*08, DRB1*03 and HLA-A*29, B*44, DRB1*07 for Caucasians; HLA-A*29, B*44, DRB1*07 and HLA-A*01, B*08 and DRB1*03 for Afro-Brazilians; and HLA-A*24, B*52, DRB1*15 and HLA-A*24, B*40 and DRB1*09 for Asians.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a need to target and expand bone marrow donor campaigns in the north of Parana State. The data of this study may be used as a reference by the Instituto Nacional de Cancer/Brazilian National Bone Marrow Donor Registry to evaluate the immunogenetic profile of populations in specific regions and in the selection of bone marrow donors.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Histocompatibility, Hospital Universitário, Universidade Estadual de Londrina - UEL, Londrina, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marlene Silva
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Bardi
authors.forename: Luciana Ribeiro
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Jarduli
authors.forename: Adylson Justino
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Jorge
authors.forename: Rossana Batista Oliveira Godoy
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Camargo
authors.forename: Fernando Pagotto
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Carneiro
authors.forename: Jair Roberto
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Gelinski
authors.forename: Roseclei Assunção Feliciano
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Edson Lopes
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Lavado