HLA class II and HLA‐B27 oligotyping in two Siberian native population groups

Abstract

It was the purpose of this study to better define the frequency of HLA-B27 subtypes and HLA class II alleles among indigenous populations from the eastern tip of the Chukotka Peninsula of Siberia, Russia, which have higher frequencies of HLA-B27 (40%) and spondyloarthropathies (2%) than Caucasian populations and test the hypothesis that these populations are more closely related to Orientals. Siberian Eskimos and Chukchi residing in four coastal villages on the Chukotka Peninsula inhabited by Siberian Eskimos and Chukchi people were examined using oligotyping of the polymerase-chain reaction-amplified second and third exons of the HLA-B27 gene. HLA-class II alleles (DRB1, DQA1 and DQB1) were similarly determined. Of 88 HLA-B27 positive individuals from these villages, all had HLA-B*2705, including the four patients with Reiter's syndrome and the five ankylosing spondylitis, except one Eskimo control who had HLA-B*2702. None had HLA-B*2704, a frequent subtype in Orientals. HLA-class II typing in 70 Siberian Eskimos and 71 Siberian coastal Chukchi revealed HLA-DRB1*0401, DRB1*0802, *0901 and *1402 to account for nearly all the DRB1 alleles found in this population, similar to what has been described in Eskimos in Alaska, but different from Chinese or native Americans in the U.S. The overwhelming majority of the individuals examined had HLA-DQB1*0301, similar to what has been observed in Native Americans. The Siberian Eskimos differed from the coastal Chukchi only in the occurrence of HLA-DRB1*0701, DQA1*0201, DQB1*0201 alleles, which occurred only in the former group. These data suggest that the Chukotka population is genetically more closely related to Caucasians and native Americans and less to other Oriental populations.

Origin and affinities of indigenous Siberian populations as revealed by HLA class II gene frequencies

“…Thus, DRB1*0407 is found only in the Mansi people and is rare in the other populations tested, except native Americans. The allele DRB1*1405 is present in the Tuva people, and has also been reported by Krylov et al (1995) for Siberian Eskimos; it is also present in other Asian, non-Siberian populations. Alleles DRB1*1406 and *1412 are both present in the Negidal group and in Korea, and the former is also widespread in indigenous American populations.…”

“…In a related category are alleles such as DRB1*0101, *1501, *0301, *0401, *1101, *0701, and *1001, which are apparently present in only some Siberian ethnic groups, but are otherwise widely distributed among non-Siberian populations. These al-213 Krylov et al 1995. The populations without numbers are from the present study.…”

Ancestry and kinships of native Siberian populations: The HLA evidence

“…of alleles shared by the different populations. [22][23][24][25] At the DQA1 and DQB1 loci, the various populations are distinguished largely by frequencies of shared alleles. Apparently, the common DQA1 and DQB1 alleles were present in the founding population of modern humans, after which their frequencies in the expanding populations differentiated by random genetic drift.…”

HLA‐B27 polymorphism in the Malays

“…The frequency of HLA‐B27 and its subtypes shows a clear ethnic and geographical variation. The Chukot Eskimos living in the subartic region (3, 4) have a frequency of 40%, while the Western African populations of Gambia and Senegal (5) have a frequency of 3–6%. The frequency of HLA‐B27 in the Pawaia tribe of Papua New Guinea, near the Equator, has been reported to be 52.9% (6), while it is virtually absent in the equatorial and Southern African Bantus and Sans (Bushmen) (7).…”