Identification of 2127 new HLA class I alleles in potential stem cell donors from Germany, the United States and Poland

Abstract

We describe 2127 new human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I alleles found in registered stem cell donors. These alleles represent 28.9% of the currently known class I alleles. Comparing new allele sequences to homologous sequences, we found 68.1% nonsynonymous nucleotide substitutions, 28.9% silent mutations and 3.0% nonsense mutations. Many substitutions occurred at positions that have not been known to be polymorphic before. A large number of HLA alleles and nucleotide variations underline the extreme diversity of the HLA system. Strikingly, 156 new alleles were found not only multiple times, but also in carriers of various parentage, suggesting that some new alleles are not necessarily rare. Moreover, new alleles were found especially often in minority donors. This emphasizes the benefits of specifically recruiting such groups of individuals.

Three hundred and seventy‐two novel HLA class II alleles identified in potential hematopoietic stem cell donors from Germany, the United States, and Poland

“…CA, number of complementary alleles. These alleles were defined as those whose DNA sequences showed highest similarity to the novel allele's DNA sequence and that showed a maximum number of silent substitutions .…”

Discovery of HLA‐B*58:74, a novel HLA‐B*58 variant, in Singaporean Chinese individuals

“…The numbers of known HLA alleles are increasing dramatically with the development of DNA‐based molecular typing technology. We here report the discovery of a novel HLA‐B*58 variant, now named HLA‐B*58:74 , in three potential Singaporean Chinese unrelated bone marrow hematopoietic stem cell donors in our routine HLA typing practice using a sequence‐based typing method …”

HLA‐C*07:465, a novel HLA‐C*07 variant, detected in a Singaporean Chinese individual

“…Novel HLA alleles continue to be discovered, and the recognition of the new alleles has enriched our understanding of the complexity of the HLA system. We report here the novel HLA‐C*07:465 allele discovered in a Singaporean Chinese potential bone marrow donor, using a sequence‐based typing method …”