HLA Diversity in Transylvanian Ethnic Groups: Consequences for Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
Lucia Dican,
Mihaela Iancu,
Florin Ioan Elec,
Dan Burghelea,
Raluca Timoce,
Cristina Sorina Catana,
Monica Mihaela Marta,
Roxana Liana Lucaciu,
Adriana Corina Hangan,
Horea Vladi Matei,
Luminița-Ioana Iancu Loga
Affiliations
Lucia Dican
Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, “Iuliu-Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Mihaela Iancu
Department of Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, “Iuliu-Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Florin Ioan Elec
Clinical Institute of Urology and Renal Transplantation, 400000 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Dan Burghelea
Clinical Institute of Urology and Renal Transplantation, 400000 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Raluca Timoce
Clinical Institute of Urology and Renal Transplantation, 400000 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Cristina Sorina Catana
Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, “Iuliu-Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Monica Mihaela Marta
Department of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, “Iuliu-Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Roxana Liana Lucaciu
Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry and Clinical Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Iuliu-Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Adriana Corina Hangan
Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Iuliu-Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Horea Vladi Matei
Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, “Iuliu-Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Luminița-Ioana Iancu Loga
Clinical Institute of Urology and Renal Transplantation, 400000 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
The HLA profile is essential in cell and tissue transplantation, particularly in patients with autoimmune conditions and infections. Due to the extreme polymorphism in certain HLA loci, it also serves as a key tool for population genetic analysis. This study aimed to identify the allele and haplotype distributions of HLA class I (A, B, and C) and class II (DRB1) genotypes in unrelated hematopoietic stem cell donors. A retrospective analysis was conducted between 2016 and 2020 on 9832 Transylvanian volunteers, divided into Romanian and Hungarian groups based on self-reported ethnicity. Using PCR-SSO for HLA typing, significant differences were found in allele frequencies between ethnic groups. A total of 19 HLA-A, 31 HLA-B, 14 HLA-C, and 13 HLA-DRB1 distinct allele groups were identified between ethnic groups. Notably, B*18, B*51, and C*12 were more frequent in Romanians, while B*44, B*40, and C*07 were more common in Hungarians. Differences in haplotype distributions were also observed, with HLA-A*02~B*18~C*07~DRB1*11 being significantly more frequent in Romanians. Understanding these population-specific HLA profiles can improve donor matching for hematologic diseases, enhancing patient outcomes and access to life-saving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
