HLA-DR, D recombination in a kidney transplant recipient

HLA-Dw clusters associated with DR4 in Israeli Jews and the definition of a new DR4 associated Dw subtype: Dw"SHA"

A homozygous typing cell (HTC), that identifies a newly defined HLA-Dw determinant Dw"SHA," is described. The donor of the HTC was a Yeminite Jew and an offspring of first cousin marriage. This cell is not included in the known DR4-associated specificity clusters Dw4,Dw10,Dw13,Dw14,Dw15, or the provisional cluster Dw"KT2." Dw"SHA" was shown to segregate with DR4 positive haplotypes in family analysis, and in a population study was present in three of 43 unrelated DR4 positive individuals. This new Dw determinant was detected in Israeli Jews of Yemenite origin bearing the haplotype HLA-Bw41,DR4,DQw3. This indicates that Bw41,DR4,DQw3,Dw"SHA" may represent a typical allele combination in Yemenite Jews. Among 43 DR4 haplotypes in Israeli Jews, Dw10 had the highest antigen frequency (41.8%), whereas in American Caucasoids and in Japanese, Dw4 and Dw15 were most frequent, 44% and 40.5%, respectively.

Polymorphism of the HLA DR1 haplotype in the Israeli population investigated at the serological, cellular, and genomic levels

In the present report, we used serological, cellular, and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) to investigate the DR1 haplotype in the Israeli population. We describe an Israeli homozygous typing cell (HTC), HLA-Dw"LVA", which defines a new lymphocyte-activating determinant associated with Bw65, DR1 and distinct from Dw1. The parents of this donor, non-Ashkenazi Algerian Jews, are first cousins and share HLA-Cw8,Bw65,BfS,DR1,DQw1,DPw4. No specificity could be assigned to HLA-Dw"LVA" using the 91 Ninth Workshop HTCs. Two families and forty unrelated DR1 individuals were studied with Dw"LVA" and a panel of DR1/Dw1 HTCs. HLA-Dw"LVA" showed segregation as a single determinant within families. This new specificity was present in 24 out of 40 (60%) unrelated DR1 individuals, indicating that in the Israeli population Dw"LVA" is the main lymphocyte-defined determinant associated with the serologically defined DR1 specificity, in contrast to non-Jewish Caucasoids where DR1 is significantly associated with Dw1. The vast majority of Dw"LVA"-positive carriers were also Bw65 carriers, indicating that Bw65,DR1, Dw"LVA" may represent a typical allele combination in the Israeli population. The RFLP analysis established the correlation of certain RFLPs with Dw1 and Dw"LVA". In addition, we describe a cluster of FRLPs that may correspond to a new Dw subtype associated with DR1, for which no serological and cellular reagents have been described so far.

HLA-linked SB antigens in Israel. Population study, analysis of homozygous typing cells and generation of local SB reagents

In the present study we have investigated the HLA-SB antigen distribution in 65 unrelated Israeli Ashkenazim and non-Ashkenazim and in a panel of 18 local homozygous typing cells (HTC). Two locally derived SB reagents, anti-SB2 and SB3, were also studied. The HLA-SB allele frequencies in the Israeli sample ranged from 0.02 for SB1 to 0.47 for SB4 while SB5 was absent. SB3 had a higher frequency in non-Ashkenazim (0.11) as compared to Ashkenazim (0.06) but this difference was not significant. On the whole, the allele frequencies for the 5 HLA-SB antigens studied were in the range observed in non-Jewish Caucasoid populations with some minor variations. Two of eighteen local HTC's were found heterozygous for SB, demonstrating that homozygosity for HLA-A, B, C, D and DR does not indicate homozygosity for HLA-SB. The local anti-SB2 and SB3 typing reagents gave concordant results when compared with the NIH reference typing cells in population studies.

HLA-D clusters associated with DR2 and the definition of HLA-D"AZH": a new DR2 related HLA-D specificity in Israel

In order to investigate the HLA-D clusters associated with DR2 in Israeli Jews, 40 DR2 positive unrelated individuals were studied with a panel of DR2 associated homozygous typing cells (HTC's) which detect the lymphocyte defined specificities HLA-Dw2, Dw12, Dw9 and D-WJR. The results confirmed the existence of two distinct HLA-D clusters associated with the same serologically defined DR2. Of 40 individuals 22.5% (9/40) were Dw2 and 50% (20/40) were Dw12 carriers. Yet, no HLA-D specificity could be assigned to the remaining 11 DR2 positive individuals. In the present study we have defined a unique DR2-associated Dw specificity, HLA-D"AZH". The donor of the HTC was of Moroccan origin and an offspring of a first cousin marriage. This cell was not typeable with the known DR2-associated homozygous typing cells nor with other HTC's which define the well established HLA-Dw1 to Dw11 specificities. It was shown to segregate with DR2 positive HLA haplotypes in family analysis and in a population study, typed out 7 of 11 unrelated DR2 positive, Dw blank individuals, thus identifying a unique and new HLA-D cluster provisionally designated D"AZH".

HLA and disease

This review describes the greater portion of a large number of new studies on HLA and disease association which has appeared in the literature since 1979. The majority of these are concerned with the association of certain diseases with class II major histocompatibility complex antigens. The possible biologic significance of these associations in terms of their probable etiology appears to be the prevailing theme. Current thinking regarding certain heritable diseases is described. It seems that although much has been done to resolve the genetics of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, other diseases such a multiple sclerosis still remain a mystery. Doubtlessly, much will be gained from DNA cloning and sequencing studies proposed for the future. A great deal of new information has been obtained relative to HLA itself. New loci have been postulated in the HLA-D/DR region through the use of powerful immunochemical procedures made possibly by the advent of modern technological advances. The impact of these developments on our understanding of the function of the MHC in man and its possible relationship to disease are discussed.

Is predisposition to pemphigus vulgaris in Jewish patients mediated by HLA-Dw10 and DR4?

Twenty-one Israeli Jewish pemphigus vulgaris (PV) patients were studied for the HLA-D lymphocyte defined determinants and the serologically defined antigens of the HLA-A, B, and DR series. HLA-D typing revealed that Dw10 is significantly associated with PV: 86% of patients vs 18% of controls carried Dw10, and DR4 was present in 86% of patients as compared to 38% in the controls. The most striking observation was that all Dw10 positive patients were also positive for DR4, and no other patient carried DR4 alone. The relative risk for a Dw10-DR4 carrier to develop PV was estimated at 31.9, higher than that observed for Dw10 alone (RR 26.7) or DR4 alone (RR 9.6). Probably HLA-Dw10 predisposes for pemphigus vulgaris.

Reactivity pattern of 15 HLA-Dw1 homozygous typing cells in primary mixed lymphocyte culture

The Dw1 specificity was highly correlated with the serologically determined HLA-DR1 antigen in the Eighth International Histocompatibility Workshop 1980. By testing a large number of HLA-Dw1, DR1 defined homozygous typing cells (HTC) in a checkerboard primary mixed lymphocyte reaction, on a panel of about 30 HLA-DR1 heterozygous individuals, and in family segregation, three Dw1 "subtypes" could be defined in association with certain HLA-A, -B, and -C-antigens. HTC TA, FRI, and FRA carrying the HLA haplotypes A11, B35, Cw4 or A3, B35, Cw4 in the homozygous state gave positive typing results with most HLA-DR1 positive panel members and stimulated only four other Dw1 HTCs (SRR less than or equal to 35%). In contrast to this operationally "broad" specificity, Dw1-HTC-HEN (HLA-A2, B44, C-, homozygous) was non-stimulatory to all HTCs except one, but gave high responses against these, leading to the definition of a "narrow" specificity included in the "broad" one. Another such "narrow" specificity was represented by HTC FEE (HLA-A2, B27, Cw2 homozygous). Typing patterns with FEE were mostly different from those defined with other HTC. In family studies a specific typing pattern for this HTC could be shown to segregate with HLA. However, within some of these responses a contribution of the HLA haplotype in the trans position must be assumed.

Heated lymphocytes express HLA-DR antigens despite their inability to stimulate in MLC

We have utilized serological techniques and mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) reactions to examine HLA-DR and HLA-D expression by heated (45 degrees C for 1 h) lymphocytes in order to study the functional relationship of these antigens. Heated lymphocytes do not stimulate proliferation of allogeneic lymphocytes in MLC, yet they express HLA-DR antigens. The fraction of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) expressing DR is not altered by heating, nor is the staining intensity altered as detected by fluorescence microscopy. Alloantisera to "B cell alloantigens" recognize HLA-DR determinants on heated cells without any detectable change in either specificity or quantitative cytotoxic effects. Flow cytometry with monoclonal antibody demonstrates only minimal decrease in HLA-DR expression after heating. Thus stimulation in MLC requires more of the stimulating cell than the mere expression of HLA-DR.

Role of class I and class II antigens in the allogenic stimulation: class I and class II recognition in allogenic stimulation; blocking of MLR by monoclonal antibodies and F(ab')2 fragments

Purified monomorphic monoclonal antibodies against Class I and Class II antigens in the inhibition of in vitro allogenic response were assayed. As expected, anti-Class II antibodies are highly inhibitory when used in concentrations greater than 5 micrograms/ml in MLRI and 50 micrograms/ml in MLRII. Surprisingly, anti-Class I monoclonal antibodies are as effective as anti-Class II in inhibiting primary MLR although they have no effect in MLRII. These results were confirmed by using F(ab')2 fragments. The inhibitory effect of anti-Class I has been shown to occur at the stimulator cell level. It is proposed that the allogenic stimulation is elicited after Class I and Class II recognition although only Class II differences are responsible for the proliferative response.

HLA-D locus in Israel. Characterization of 14 local HTC's and a population study

Fourteen homozygous typing cells identified in Israel are described. Of these typing cells two were of Ashkenazi and 11 of non-Ashkenazi origin, while the remaining HTC was from an Arab donor. Ten of the 14 HTC's characterized in this manner were offspring of consanguineous marriages; all of them were non-Ashkenari. Nine HTC's express specificities previously recognized in Caucasians, 4 HTC's represent new specificities (J1-J4), and one typing cell was found to be analogous to the Japanese Dw12 (DHO) specificity. The distribution of HLA-D specificities in 120 randomly selected Israelis representing the two main Jewish subpopulations, Ashkenazim and non-Ashkenazim, was studied with the locally defined HTC's. HLA-Dw5 and Dw10 were found to be significantly increased while Dw2 and Dw6 were significantly decreased in Israelis as compared to Caucasians.