title: HLA allele and haplotype polymorphisms among Croatian patients in an unrelated hematopoietic stem cell donor search program.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate HLA alleles and haplotypes among Croatian patients in an unrelated HSCT program, and to analyze HLA matching in patient/donor pairs. Analysis was performed on a group of 105 patients and their donors, and 4000 unrelated donors from our registry (CBMDR) served as controls. PCR-SSO and PCR-SSP high-resolution methods for HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, and -DQB1 loci were used for typing patient/donor pairs. Donors from CBMDR were tested for HLA-A, -B, and -DRB1 by PCR-SSO. No difference in frequency at HLA tested loci among patients and donors from CBMDR was observed. A fully matched donor (10/10) was found for 68 (64.8%) patients, and the highest number of mismatches was found for HLA-DRB1 and HLA-C alleles. The presence of HLA-B alleles (B*15:01, B*18:01, and B*51:01) associated with two or more HLA-C alleles as well as the presence of unusual HLA-B/HLA-C (B*35:01-C*07:01 and B*35:01-C*14:02) combinations resulted in mismatches at the HLA-C locus. Additionally, mismatches at the DRB1 locus were in most cases found for DRB1*11 alleles. The results suggest that the DRB1*11:04 allele might be considered as a limiting factor in finding a 10/10 matched donor. These data may help in the improvement of the searching protocol for unrelated donors for Croatian patients.
authors: Tissue Typing Center, Clinical Department for Transfusion Medicine and Transplantation Biology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Croatia. Electronic address: zgrubic@kbc-zagreb.hr.
authors: Zorana
authors: Z
authors: Grubic
authors: Tissue Typing Center, Clinical Department for Transfusion Medicine and Transplantation Biology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Croatia.
authors: Katarina Stingl
authors: KS
authors: Jankovic
authors: Tissue Typing Center, Clinical Department for Transfusion Medicine and Transplantation Biology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Croatia.
authors: Marija
authors: M
authors: Maskalan
authors: Department of Haematology, Internal Clinic, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Croatia.
authors: Ranka
authors: R
authors: Serventi-Seiwerth
authors: Croatian Bone Marrow Donor Registry, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Croatia.
authors: Mirta
authors: M
authors: Mikulic
authors: Tissue Typing Center, Clinical Department for Transfusion Medicine and Transplantation Biology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Croatia.
authors: Marija Burek
authors: MB
authors: Kamenaric
authors: Department of Haematology, Internal Clinic, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Croatia.
authors: Damir
authors: D
authors: Nemet
authors: Tissue Typing Center, Clinical Department for Transfusion Medicine and Transplantation Biology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Croatia.
authors: Renata
authors: R
authors: Zunec
mesh_terms: D017523:Croatia; D046148:Donor Selection; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006239:Haplotypes; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006648:Histocompatibility; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012041:Regional Medical Programs; D012042:Registries; D014019:Tissue Donors
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens
keywords: DRB1*11; HLA; Matching donor; Searching protocol; Unrelated HSCT