A Population Study: HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, -DQB1, -DQA1 Alleles, and ABDR Haplotype Frequencies in the Aegean Region of Türkiye

Abstract

Objective: Human leukocyte anti-gen (HLA) molecules are vital molecules because they present foreign anti-gens to immune cells and trigger the immune response. Thus, they are associated with diseases, and they play crucial roles in solid organ transplantation and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. This study aimed to determine the HLA allele and three-locus haplotype frequencies of the Turkish population. This is the first study in Türkiye to include such a large, sizable population. Methods: The study included 6,039 bone marrow donors. Sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes and sequence-specific primers were employed for HLA typing. After excluding related individuals, 1222 A, 1229 B, 930 DRB1, 102 C, 227 DQB1, 163 DQA1 allele couples, and 336 ABDR haplotype couples were analyzed using Arlequin v3.5 Software and the R package programs. The results were compared with those from the border countries. Results: The most frequently observed HLA alleles were A*02, B*35, C*07, DRB1*11, DQA1*01, and DQB1*03. The most prevalent ABDRB1 haplotype was A*24 B*35 DRB1*11 in our population. For all loci, the population was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. A linkage disequilibrium analysis revealed a strong link between the A-B, A-DRB1, and B-DRB1 loci. The results of the two methods were similar. Conclusion: These findings are consistent with populations in bordering nations. Our findings will support numerous therapeutic applications, including drug discovery, disease therapy, and organ transplantation. The Arlequin and R programs are suitable for analyses.

Keywords

• hla
• allele frequency
• haplotype frequency