title: The frequency of HLA alleles in a population of Inuit women of northern Quebec.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles code for proteins that are involved in the recognition of foreign antigens and activation of the immune system. The frequency of HLA alleles varies across different populations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the frequency of HLA alleles in a population of Inuit women of Nunavik, Quebec, Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort of women was recruited from 4 different communities between January 2002 and December 2007. HLA-B*07, HLA-DQB1*03, DQB1*06:02, DRB1*13 and DRB1*15:01 alleles were typed by PCR sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP) and HLA-E and G alleles were type by DNA-sequencing procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We obtained data on 524 participants. The most frequent HLA alleles in this population were HLA-E*01:03, HLA-G*01:04:01 and HLA-DQB1*03, and they were found in 89, 75 and 94% of the population, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The distribution of HLA alleles in Nunavik, Quebec is unique when compared to other populations in Canada or around the world.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Metcalfe
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roger
authors.forename: Marie-Claude
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Faucher
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Coutlée
authors.forename: Eduardo L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brassard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics*; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D015793:HLA-B7 Antigen / Q000235:genetics; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains / Q000235:genetics; D006239:Haplotypes / Q000235:genetics; D006579:Heterozygote; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D004930:Inuit / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011792:Quebec / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; C425023:HLA-B*07 antigen; D015793:HLA-B7 Antigen; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; C069051:HLA-DQB1 antigen
keywords: Canada; Inuit; Nunavik; human leukocyte antigen