HLA genes in Wayu Amerindians from Colombia

Abstract

Amerindians origins and prehistory are still debated. HLA profile is different to all other World populations, although they have particular alleles in common with Asians, Australians and Pacific Islanders. In the present work, HLA-A, -B, -DRB1, -DQB1 alleles have been studied in Wayu Amerindians from Colombia. HLA alleles haplotypes, genetic distances and NJ dendrograms were calculated by Arlequin and DISPAN software. Only a few both class I and class II alleles have been observed. Most common extended haplotypes include: A*24-B*51-DRB1*0403-DQB1*0302, A*2-B*15-DRB1*1602-DQB1*0301, A*2-B*35-DRB1*0407-DQB1*0302, but also A*68-B*15-DRB1*0403-DQB1*0302. No trace of Caucasoid or Negroid admixture is detected. The Wayu HLA profile is typical from Amerindians and shows how languages and genes do not correlated particularly in this case (i.e., Wayu closest HLA genetic group is North Argentinian Guarani group). Results obtained in this work may be useful for future transplant programs and also for HLA linked diseases and individualized pharmacogenetics.

• Amerindians
• Colombian
• HLA
• Wayu

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work was supported in part by three grants from the Fundación Mutua Madrileña (2004, 2005, 2006), the Ministry of Health (FIS, PI05/1039 and PI080838) and the Ministry of Foreing Affairs (A/9134/07 and A/17727/08) grants. We are also grateful to the Wayu Community from Guajira Peninsula (Colombia).

Declaration of Interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.