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( Received 08 October 2018; Accepted 24 October 2018; Date of Publication 31 October 2018 )
WSN 114 (2018) 15-29 EISSN 2392-219
The genetic diversity of HLA DRB1* alleles among Indian and African populations
R. Nandakumar
Department of Zoology, St. Joseph University, Ikishe Model Village, Dimapur, Nagaland, 797115, India
E-mail address: drnkzoo@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
The HLA system is highly polymorphic and commonly used as a marker to understand core
population genetical aspects such as stratification, human migration, predisposition to diseases and
tissue transplantation compatibility. Although HLA alleles are generally treated as equidistant molecular
units in population genetic studies, the diversity of DNA allelic frequencies among populations is also
considered to be crucial to interpret the observed HLA polymorphisms. This study compares the
variation of HLA DRB1 alleles across various subgroups of both Indian and African Populations, using
their respective allelic frequencies. The HLA DRB1 allelic frequencies for 3,153 individuals of 32
subgroups of both Indian and African populations, were collected from the Allele Frequency Net
Database (AFND). Correlation matrix and Grid diagram were compiled using the R statistical package.
Allele frequencies were analyzed for the respective population subgroups using XLSTAT. The North
East Indian populations were completely devoid of HLA DRB1* 16, which is fairly present in south
Indian populations. The South Indian populations harbor both HLA DRB1* 10 and HLA DRB1* 15 at
relatively higher levels but are very scarce of HLA DRB1* 07, HLA DRB1* 09, HLA DRB1* 12 and
HLA DRB1* 13. The alleles HLA DRB1* 03, HLA DRB1* 04 and HLA DRB1* 07 could represent an
epicenter for the admixture of African, North-East Indian and South Indian populations.
Keywords: HLA DRB1, Population Genetics, Indian and African populations, Demography,
Migration, Admixture
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1. INTRODUCTION
The Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) loci are among the most polymorphic genes
currently described in the human genome, with more than 4,000 observed alleles according to
the released IMGT/HLA database.
These loci are located on the short arm of chromosome 6 within the Major
Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) and are extensively studied due to their critical role in
organ or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and clinical medicine. Allelic variation of HLA
genes is characterized at the DNA sequence level since the mid of 1990s [1-3]. Each MHC class
II gene has many possible variations, allowing the immune system to react to a wide range of
foreign invaders. Researchers have identified hundreds of different versions (alleles) of the
HLA-DRB1 gene, each of which is given a particular number (such as HLA-DRB1*04:01) [4-
10].
This present study compares the HLA DRB1* allele frequencies of various Indian and
African subgroups which could verify the population admixture within these groups and
validate the ‘Out-of Africa‘ hypothesis.
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
2. 1. Allelic Frequencies Data
Allelic frequencies for the respective population were collected from the Allele
Frequency Net Database (AFND) which provides a central and open-access source for the allele
frequencies data of different polymorphic areas of the human genome
(http://www.allelefrequencies.net/). Additional data were collected from the published report
of Balakrishnan K. et al (2012) [7].
2. 2. Statistical analyses
The R statistical package (http://www.r-project.org/) was used to compute the correlation
matrix (Table 01) and Grid diagram (Figure 01) depicting the correlations among all population
subgroups. The DRB1* alleles were aligned according to their respective frequencies in
populations using MS-Excel (Table 02). The multiple Moroccon population group was not
considered for analyses, because of the lack of sample compatibility.
3. RESULTS
According to the correlation matrix and grid diagram, no significant relationship is
evident between the study populations. But the relative frequencies of HLA DRB1* 16 allele
was found to be almost absent among the North-East Indian populations but was relatively
higher among the South Indian populations. The South Indian populations contain HLA DRB1*
10 and HLA DRB1* 15 alleles at higher frequency levels, but have low frequencies of HLA
DRB1* 07, HLA DRB1* 09, HLA DRB1* 12 and HLA DRB1* 13.
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4. DISCUSSION
We analyzed the nucleotide diversity of one HLA genes (HLA - DRB1) using the allele
frequencies, in more than 3,153 individuals from about 32 populations of both African and
Indian continents. We first applied an extensive treatment of the data at the genotypic and
nucleotide levels to ensure compatibility with the latest updates of the official HLA allele
nomenclature. We then analyzed the DNA molecular variation of HLA alleles at several
geographic scales (i.e., Global, continental, and regional), to investigate its congruence with the
observed genetic diversity profiles based on allelic frequencies and explore the additional
information brought by DNA sequences. Despite the complex evolution of the HLA system and
the difficulty to disentangle the effects of molecular mechanisms such as balancing selection,
gene conversion and recombination, our results could suggest a strong influence of
demographic factors and human migrations upon the polymorphism.
In this study, the allele HLA DRB1* 04 is equally distributed (Fig. 04) in North-East
Indian, Moroccon and South Indian populations at relatively higher frequencies. Since the
North-East Indian and South Indian populations are demographically and geographically
distant, this unique allelic distributions must be considered to hypothesize any population
stratification relationships. Supporting this claim, the HLA DRB1* 14 allele (Fig. 12) also is
non-randomly distributed among the NE Indian and south Indian populations. These two
distributions seem to show a pattern of North East Indian and South Indian settlements.
Interestingly, the alleles HLA DRB1* 08, HLA DRB1* 11 and HLA DRB1* 13 (Fig. 6, 9 and
11) are distributed, at higher frequencies , across the Burkina Faso and North East Indian tribes,
suggesting the probable mixture of populations from Sub-Saharan Africa and India.
5. CONCLUSION
Altogether, these speculative comparisons suggest that the HLA DRB1* 04, HLA DRB1*
08, HLA DRB1* 11 and HLA DRB1* 13 represent an unique centre of admixture of
demographically distant populations. Yet, more population samples, sophisticated statistical
analyses with larger cohorts are strongly recommended to validate and extend these
observations.
Acknowledgments
We thank the University Grants Commision (UGC), New Delhi for their financial support to conduct this study.
References
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Thomson G. (2008). Balancing selection and heterogeneity across the classical human
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[9] Sanchez-Mazas A., et al. (2011). Immunogenetics as a tool in anthropological studies.
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[10] M. J. Chen, C. C. Chu, M. H. Shyr, C. L. Lin, P. Y. Lin and K. L. Yang, Detection of a
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Table 1. Correlation matrix values for all the study populations
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Figure 1. Grid diagram for the comparison HLA DRB1 polymorphism among Indian and
Africa populations using correlation matrix
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Column 1 - Andhra Pradesh Brahmin: Column 2 - Andhra Pradesh Sunni: Column 3 - Andhra
Pradesh Golla: Column 4 – North East Kayastha: Column 5 – North East Lachung: Column
6 – North East Mathur: Column 7 – North East Mach: : Column 8 - North East Rajbanshi :
Column 9 – North East Rastogi: : Column 10 – North East Shia: Column 11 – North East
Sunni: Column 12 – North East Vaish: Column 13 - Mumbai Maratha : Column 14 -
Tamilnadu Kannikaran: Column 15 - Tamilnadu Paliyar: Column 16 - Tamilnadu Pallar:
Column 17 Tamilnadu Narikkuravar: Column 18 -Tamilnadu Kallar :Column 19 -Tamilnadu
Vanniyar: Column 20 - Tamilnadu V.Goundar : Column 21 - Tamilnadu Sourashtra: Column
22 - Tamilnadu Iyer :Column 23 - Kerela Namboothiri : Column 24 - Kerela Nair: Column
25 -Tamilnadu Yadavas: Column 26 -Tamilnadu P.Kallar: Column 27 - Morocco Nador
Metasa: Column 28 - Morocco Pops: Column 29 - Morocco Settat Chaouga:Column 30 -
Burkina Faso Fulani: Column 31 - Burkina Faso Mossi: Column 32 - Burkina Faso Rimaibe.
HLA DRB1* allelic frequencies to the corresponding populations
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HLA DRB1* allelic frequencies – Continued
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Table 2. Indian and African population subgroups with their HLA DRB1* alleles
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Table 2. Continue
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Table 2. Continue
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Table 2. Continue
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Table 2. Continue
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Table 2. Continue