HLA‐DB3: population distribution and family studies of a new HLA‐D antigen associated with HLA‐DR4 in Caucasoids

Abstract
On the basis of studies with 6 HTC [homozygous typing cell] in 4 different families the new cluster DB3 identified in the 8th Workshop can be considered an established specificity of the HLA-D series. In 112 healthy Caucasoids resident in South East England [UK] the frequency of this antigen was 2.6% similar to the frequency found in 142 Caucasoid patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The frequency in 54 unrelated Chinese individuals from Shanghai and of 120 Nigerians was 7.5% and 3%, respectively. All Caucasoid individuals who were DB3 were also DR4 whereas no such association was found in the 2 population groups.