New HLA-DR2-related specificities detected in South African Blacks and individuals of mixed ancestry

Abstract

This study describes a new HLA-DR2-related specificity DR2LUM(CT) present in South African Blacks and individuals of mixed ancestry (Cape Coloureds). It can be distinguished from the "classic" DR2 specificities, DRw15 and DRw16, using serological and Southern blot techniques. Although no HLA-Dw specificity could be assigned to the DR2LUM(CT) cells, borderline typing reactions with Dw2 HTCs were observed. Southern blot analysis using a DRB probe and the TaqI enzyme has shown that DR2LUM(CT) shared a 1.6 kb fragment with DRw15 and a 4.7 kb fragment with DR1 and DRw10, indicating sequence homology between DR2LUM(CT) and these alleles. In addition, another unusual HLA-DR2 haplotype was found. The DR antigen was typed serologically as DRw16 but showed a combination of restriction fragments which are associated with both the DRw15 and DRw16 specificities. This study demonstrates the value of investigating non-Caucasoid populations in further characterizing the polymorphisms of the HLA class II genes.