HLA class I polymorphism in a Moroccan population from Casablanca

Abstract

We have studied the distribution of HLA-A and -B alleles and haplotypes by sequence-specific primer amplification in a sample of 100 unrelated healthy individuals belonging to both Berber and Arabic-speaking groups from the region of Casablanca in Morocco. Among the 17 HLA-A and 23 HLA-B alleles observed, the most frequent were HLA-A2 (21%), -A1 (11%), -A3 (10%), -B44 (11.4%), -B50 (9.9%), -B5(8.5%) and -B35 (6.5%). Six two-locus haplotypes were observed with a frequency above 5%: A2-B50 (9.6%), A23-B44 (7.4%), A2-B15 (6.4%), A68-B39 (5.3%), A1-B51 (5.3%) and A68-B44 (4.3%). Our data confirm that, on the basis of genetic distances, the majority of present-day North Africans from Morocco are closely related to Berbers and also to Iberians. They cluster apart from Middle-Eastern Mediterranean populations, and show greater genetic distances to Eastern and other Mediterranean populations. This study will serve as a reference for further anthropological studies, as well as studies of HLA and disease associations.

Polymorphisms of HLA‐A, ‐B, ‐Cw and DRB1 antigens in Moroccan patients with ankylosing spondylitis and a comparison of clinical features with frequencies of HLA‐B*27

“…The antigen frequencies observed in the control group concord with previous Moroccan studies . The frequency of HLA‐B27 Ag was 3% which represents a prevalence of 6%.…”

A genetic study of nine populations from the region of Tlemcen in Western Algeria: a comparative analysis on the Mediterranean scale

“…The great affinity that exists between the Arab and Berber Algerian populations and the other North African populations is consistent with the findings obtained using other genetic markers (Blood groups: Flores et al, 2000a;SanchezMazas, 2000;Harich et al, 2002;Gm: Loueslati et al, 2001;Dugoujon et al, 2004;HLA: Bosch et al, 1997;Gómez-Casado et al, 2000;Arnaiz-Villena et al, 2002;Choukri et al, 2002;Ouhmani et al, 2002;Y chromosome: Bosch et al, 2001;Khodjet El Khil et al, 2001; Alu sequences: Flores et al, 2000b). It is, therefore, legitimate to suppose that great genetic, geographical, linguistic, and cultural similarities have developed between these populations.…”

Correlation between genetic HLA class I and II polymorphisms and anthropological aspects in the Chaouya population from Morocco (Arabic speaking)

“…As observed with HLA‐A locus, there were many HLA‐B variants in this population. Out of 42 allelic variants, the most frequently identified belongs to B*50 group (B*5001 af = 0.110; B*5002 af = 0.014), with a higher incidence in comparison with other Moroccans, except for Morocco Casablanca (7), North Africans, sub‐Saharans, Caucasian populations, and Saudi Arabians (24). The B*44 allele group (B*4402 af = 0.03; B*440301 af = 0.07) and the B*4501 (af = 0.068), B*0801 (af = 0.061) alleles also occurred frequently in the CH group, as reported also for other Moroccan populations.…”

“…HLA‐DRB1 polymorphisms in Metalsa (ME) Berbers and CH groups, as well as HLA‐A, ‐B, and ‐Cw variability in ME Berbers from Morocco, were already discussed by our staff (3, 4). Other available data include one study of the Souss Berber population sample from the Agadir city area (5), a population of sample from El Jadida (ElJ) area (Arabic speaking) (6), a heterogenous sample from Casablanca (Berbers and Arabic speaking) (7) and, more recently, a serological and polymerase chain reaction amplification with sequence‐specific primers (PCR‐SSP) molecular analysis of HLA‐A, ‐B, ‐DR, and ‐DQ allele and haplotype frequencies (HFs) in a sample from diverse regions of Morocco (8).…”