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Hajjej A, Saldhana FL, Dajani R, Almawi WY. HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1 and -DQB1 allele and haplotype frequencies and phylogenetic analysis of Bahraini population. Gene 2020; 735:144399. [PMID: 32001374 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2020.144399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The origin of Arab-speaking population is classified according to their geographical location, ethnic background, and historical influx of nearby and distant populations. Data on HLA class I and class II loci in (Arabian Peninsula) Bahraini population are lacking. We analyzed HLA genetic profile of Bahrainis with neighboring communities, and with Levantines, North Africans, Sub-Saharans, Europeans, and Asians, using genetic distances, neighbor-joining dendrograms, correspondence and haplotype analysis. HLA class I and class II genotyping were done by high resolution PCR-SSP in 175 Bahraini subjects. In total, 19 HLA-A, 33 HLA-B, 15 HLA-C, 14 DRB1 and 7 DQB1 alleles were identified. The most common class I alleles were A*02:01:01 (18.3%), A*01:01:01(15.4%), B*35:01:02 (12.9%), C*12:01:01 (15.1%), and C*04:01:01 (14.9%), while DRB1*03:01:01 (18.0%), DQB1*02:01:01 (29.1%), and DQB1*05:01:01 (24.9%) were the most frequent class II alleles. Significant linkage disequilibrium was seen between all HLA loci pairs. DRB1*03:01:01-DQB1*02:01:01 (15.18%) was the most frequent two-locus haplotype. Significant negative Fnd values were observed, indicating balancing selection at studied loci. Bahrainis appear to be related to Western Mediterranean (North Africans, Iberians and French), but relatively distinct from Levantines (Palestinians, Lebanese, and Jordanians) and Sub-Saharans. This indicates limited genetic contribution of Levantine Arabs and Sub-Saharans to the Bahraini gene pool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelhafidh Hajjej
- Department of Immunogenetics, National Blood Transfusion Center, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - F Lisa Saldhana
- Faculte' des Sciences de Tunis, Universite' de Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Rana Dajani
- Department of Biology, Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan
| | - Wassim Y Almawi
- Faculte' des Sciences de Tunis, Universite' de Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia; School of Medicine, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan.
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Charfi A, Mahfoudh N, Kamoun A, Frikha F, Dammak C, Gaddour L, Hakim F, Maalej L, Mallek B, Kammoun I, Bahloul Z, Makni H. Association of HLA Alleles with Primary Sjögren Syndrome in the South Tunisian Population. Med Princ Pract 2019; 29:32-38. [PMID: 31272097 PMCID: PMC7024883 DOI: 10.1159/000501896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In order to investigate human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes predisposing to primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS), we conducted an association study using HLA loci (A, B, and DRB1) and 9 polymorphic microsatellite markers spanning the HLA region in pSS patients as compared to healthy individuals. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Forty-four patients fitting the European criteria of pSS and 123 healthy controls were analyzed for their HLA class I and class II alleles. HLA class I typing was performed using a standard microlymphocytotoxicity method followed by PCR-SSP. HLA-DRB1 genotyping was performed using PCR-SSP. We studied the polymorphism of 9 microsatellite markers for both groups. Microsatellite genotyping was performed using the PCR fluorescent technique. RESULTS We observed a positive association between HLA-B15 and pSS in the Tunisian population (p = 0.004, OR 7.57). The comparison of the frequencies of DRB1 alleles in pSS patients and controls confirmed the association of the DRB1*03 allele with pSS (p = 0.02, OR 2.36). On the other hand, the association study of microsatellite markers showed that the a9 allele of D6S265 marker and the a20 of C1.2.C were found to be positively associated with pSS as compared to controls (p =0.0003, OR 10.29, and p =0.001, OR 4.79, respectively). Using the "Haplo.stats" software analysis, we found that the most associated region was located in the HLA class I region and limited by HLA-A and D6S265 loci (p = 0.00056). CONCLUSION The results of this study support the hypothesis of the existence of a susceptibility gene for pSS located in the HLA class I and III regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida Charfi
- Department of Histocompatibility, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia,
| | - Nadia Mahfoudh
- Department of Histocompatibility, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Arwa Kamoun
- Department of Histocompatibility, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Feten Frikha
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Chifa Dammak
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Lilia Gaddour
- Department of Histocompatibility, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Feiza Hakim
- Department of Histocompatibility, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Leila Maalej
- Department of Histocompatibility, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Bakhta Mallek
- Department of Histocompatibility, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Ines Kammoun
- Department of Histocompatibility, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Zouhir Bahloul
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Hafedh Makni
- Department of Histocompatibility, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
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Martinez-Laso J, Ramirez-Puga A, Rivas-García E, Fernández-Tagarro E, Auyanet-Saavedra I, Guerra-Rodríguez R, Díaz-Novo N, García-Cantón C. North African-Mediterranean HLA genetic contribution in a population of the kidney transplant waiting list patients of Canary origin (Gran Canaria). HLA 2018; 92:12-23. [PMID: 29770608 DOI: 10.1111/tan.13298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2017] [Revised: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The peopling of the Canary Islands has been widely debated. The mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome data support the idea of a Berber genetic origin coming from the North of Africa (maternal) and a later contribution of the Spanish invaders (paternal). The frequencies of the HLA class II alleles from the Tenerife Island (another Canary Island) have previously been published, postulating a Berber and Atlantic/Iberian contributions to the current population. The HLA class I and class II allele frequencies, haplotype frequencies and phylogenetic comparisons were performed in 215 unrelated individuals from Gran Canaria Island (belonging to the kidney transplant waiting list), with at least three generations of ancestors from Canary Islands, in order to study the different ethnical HLA contributions to the genetic background of the Canary Islanders. Results showed the presence of a compound HLA haplotype of putative Phoenician-Berber origin, A*33:01-C*08:02-B*14:02-DRB1*03:01-DQB1*02:01, likely coming from the combination of haplotypes A*30:02-C*05:01-B*18:01-DRB1*03:01-DQB1*02:01 and A*33:01-C*08:02-B*14:02-DRB1*01:02-DQB1*05:01 of North African (probably Berber) and West Asian Mediterranean (probably Phoenician) origins, respectively. The latter haplotypes and others from the same origin (Berber/Phoenician) are also present in the population studied. Besides, other contributions from the North of Europe, North England-Iberian (Atlantic contribution), and Western Europe/Mediterraneans (Spanish colonization) are also discussed. These data conclude that the current genetic background of the Canary Islands inhabitants has been generated over the years by different ways with an original Phoenician-Berber substrate and several genetic contributions generated in different invasions.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Martinez-Laso
- Immunology Unit, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno-Infantil, Las Palmas, Spain
| | - A Ramirez-Puga
- Nephrology Service, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno-Infantil, Las Palmas, Spain
| | - E Rivas-García
- Immunology Unit, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno-Infantil, Las Palmas, Spain
| | - E Fernández-Tagarro
- Nephrology Service, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno-Infantil, Las Palmas, Spain
| | - I Auyanet-Saavedra
- Nephrology Service, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno-Infantil, Las Palmas, Spain
| | - R Guerra-Rodríguez
- Nephrology Service, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno-Infantil, Las Palmas, Spain
| | - N Díaz-Novo
- Nephrology Service, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno-Infantil, Las Palmas, Spain
| | - C García-Cantón
- Nephrology Service, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno-Infantil, Las Palmas, Spain
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Parks S, Avramopoulos D, Mulle J, McGrath J, Wang R, Goes FS, Conneely K, Ruczinski I, Yolken R, Pulver AE, Pearce BD. HLA typing using genome wide data reveals susceptibility types for infections in a psychiatric disease enriched sample. Brain Behav Immun 2018; 70:203-213. [PMID: 29574260 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2018.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The infections Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), cytomegalovirus, and Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV1) are common persistent infections that have been associated with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The major histocompatibility complex (MHC, termed HLA in humans) region has been implicated in these infections and these mental illnesses. The interplay of MHC genetics, mental illness, and infection has not been systematically examined in previous research. METHODS In a cohort of 1636 individuals, we used genome-wide association data to impute 7 HLA types (A, B, C, DRB1, DQA1, DQB1, DPB1), and combined this data with serology data for these infections. We used regression analysis to assess the association between HLA alleles, infections (individually and collectively), and mental disorder status (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, controls). RESULTS After Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons, HLA C∗07:01 was associated with increased HSV1 infection among mentally healthy controls (OR 3.4, p = 0.0007) but not in the schizophrenia or bipolar groups (P > 0.05). For the multiple infection outcome, HLA B∗ 38:01 and HLA C∗12:03 were protective in the healthy controls (OR ≈ 0.4) but did not have a statistically-significant effect in the schizophrenia or bipolar groups. T. gondii had several nominally-significant positive associations, including the haplotypes HLA DRB∗03:01 ∼ HLA DQA∗05:01 ∼ HLA DQB∗02:01 and HLA B∗08:01 ∼ HLA C∗07:01. CONCLUSIONS We identified HLA types that showed strong and significant associations with neurotropic infections. Since some of these associations depended on mental illness status, the engagement of HLA-related pathways may be altered in schizophrenia due to immunogenetic differences or exposure history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Parks
- Dept. of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, USA
| | - Dimitrios Avramopoulos
- Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jennifer Mulle
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - John McGrath
- Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ruihua Wang
- McKusick Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Fernando S Goes
- Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Karen Conneely
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ingo Ruczinski
- Bloomberg School of Public Heath, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert Yolken
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ann E Pulver
- Bloomberg School of Public Heath, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Brad D Pearce
- Dept. of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, USA.
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Hajjej A, Almawi WY, Arnaiz-Villena A, Hattab L, Hmida S. The genetic heterogeneity of Arab populations as inferred from HLA genes. PLoS One 2018. [PMID: 29522542 PMCID: PMC5844529 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
This is the first genetic anthropology study on Arabs in MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. The present meta-analysis included 100 populations from 36 Arab and non-Arab communities, comprising 16,006 individuals, and evaluates the genetic profile of Arabs using HLA class I (A, B) and class II (DRB1, DQB1) genes. A total of 56 Arab populations comprising 10,283 individuals were selected from several databases, and were compared with 44 Mediterranean, Asian, and sub-Saharan populations. The most frequent alleles in Arabs are A*01, A*02, B*35, B*51, DRB1*03:01, DRB1*07:01, DQB1*02:01, and DQB1*03:01, while DRB1*03:01-DQB1*02:01 and DRB1*07:01-DQB1*02:02 are the most frequent class II haplotypes. Dendrograms, correspondence analyses, genetic distances, and haplotype analysis indicate that Arabs could be stratified into four groups. The first consists of North Africans (Algerians, Tunisians, Moroccans, and Libyans), and the first Arabian Peninsula cluster (Saudis, Kuwaitis, and Yemenis), who appear to be related to Western Mediterraneans, including Iberians; this might be explained for a massive migration into these areas when Sahara underwent a relatively rapid desiccation, starting about 10,000 years BC. The second includes Levantine Arabs (Palestinians, Jordanians, Lebanese, and Syrians), along with Iraqi and Egyptians, who are related to Eastern Mediterraneans. The third comprises Sudanese and Comorians, who tend to cluster with Sub-Saharans. The fourth comprises the second Arabian Peninsula cluster, made up of Omanis, Emiratis, and Bahrainis. It is noteworthy that the two large minorities (Berbers and Kurds) are indigenous (autochthonous), and are not genetically different from "host" and neighboring populations. In conclusion, this study confirmed high genetic heterogeneity among present-day Arabs, and especially those of the Arabian Peninsula.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelhafidh Hajjej
- Department of Immunogenetics, National Blood Transfusion Center, Tunis, Tunisia
- * E-mail:
| | - Wassim Y. Almawi
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Antonio Arnaiz-Villena
- Department of Immunology, University Complutense, School of Medicine, Madrid Regional Blood Center, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lasmar Hattab
- Department of Medical Analysis, Hospital of Gabes (Ghannouch), Gabes, Tunisia
| | - Slama Hmida
- Department of Immunogenetics, National Blood Transfusion Center, Tunis, Tunisia
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6
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Sanchez-Mazas A, Černý V, Di D, Buhler S, Podgorná E, Chevallier E, Brunet L, Weber S, Kervaire B, Testi M, Andreani M, Tiercy JM, Villard J, Nunes JM. The HLA-B landscape of Africa: Signatures of pathogen-driven selection and molecular identification of candidate alleles to malaria protection. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:6238-6252. [PMID: 28950417 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2016] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes play a key role in the immune response to infectious diseases, some of which are highly prevalent in specific environments, like malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Former case-control studies showed that one particular HLA-B allele, B*53, was associated with malaria protection in Gambia, but this hypothesis was not tested so far within a population genetics framework. In this study, our objective was to assess whether pathogen-driven selection associated with malaria contributed to shape the HLA-B genetic landscape of Africa. To that aim, we first typed the HLA-A and -B loci in 484 individuals from 11 populations living in different environments across the Sahel, and we analysed these data together with those available for 29 other populations using several approaches including linear modelling on various genetic, geographic and environmental parameters. In addition to relevant signatures of populations' demography and migrations history in the genetic differentiation patterns of both HLA-A and -B loci, we found that the frequencies of three HLA alleles, B*53, B*78 and A*74, were significantly associated with Plasmodium falciparum malaria prevalence, suggesting their increase through pathogen-driven selection in malaria-endemic environments. The two HLA-B alleles were further identified, by high-throughput sequencing, as B*53:01:01 (in putative linkage disequilibrium with one HLA-C allele, C*04:01:01:01) and B*78:01 in all but one individuals tested, making them appropriate candidates to malaria protection. These results highlight the role of environmental factors in the evolution of the HLA polymorphism and open key perspectives for functional studies focusing on HLA peptide-binding properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Sanchez-Mazas
- Department of Genetics and Evolution - Anthropology Unit, Laboratory of Anthropology, Genetics and Peopling History (AGP), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Institute of Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (IGE3), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Viktor Černý
- Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Da Di
- Department of Genetics and Evolution - Anthropology Unit, Laboratory of Anthropology, Genetics and Peopling History (AGP), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Stéphane Buhler
- Department of Genetics and Evolution - Anthropology Unit, Laboratory of Anthropology, Genetics and Peopling History (AGP), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Genetic and Laboratory Medicine, Transplantation Immunology Unit and National Reference Laboratory for Histocompatibility (UIT/LNRH), Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Eliška Podgorná
- Department of the Archaeology of Landscape and Archaeobiology, Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Elodie Chevallier
- Department of Genetics and Evolution - Anthropology Unit, Laboratory of Anthropology, Genetics and Peopling History (AGP), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Lydie Brunet
- Department of Genetics and Evolution - Anthropology Unit, Laboratory of Anthropology, Genetics and Peopling History (AGP), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Genetic and Laboratory Medicine, Transplantation Immunology Unit and National Reference Laboratory for Histocompatibility (UIT/LNRH), Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Stephan Weber
- Department of Genetics and Evolution - Anthropology Unit, Laboratory of Anthropology, Genetics and Peopling History (AGP), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Kervaire
- Department of Genetic and Laboratory Medicine, Transplantation Immunology Unit and National Reference Laboratory for Histocompatibility (UIT/LNRH), Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Manuela Testi
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics and Transplant Biology, IME Foundation, Policlinic of the University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Andreani
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics and Transplant Biology, IME Foundation, Policlinic of the University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Jean-Marie Tiercy
- Institute of Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (IGE3), Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Genetic and Laboratory Medicine, Transplantation Immunology Unit and National Reference Laboratory for Histocompatibility (UIT/LNRH), Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jean Villard
- Institute of Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (IGE3), Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Genetic and Laboratory Medicine, Transplantation Immunology Unit and National Reference Laboratory for Histocompatibility (UIT/LNRH), Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - José Manuel Nunes
- Department of Genetics and Evolution - Anthropology Unit, Laboratory of Anthropology, Genetics and Peopling History (AGP), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Institute of Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (IGE3), Geneva, Switzerland
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7
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Hajjej A, Almawi WY, Hattab L, El-Gaaied A, Hmida S. The investigation of the origin of Southern Tunisians using HLA genes. J Hum Genet 2016; 62:419-429. [PMID: 27881842 DOI: 10.1038/jhg.2016.146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2016] [Revised: 10/13/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The south of Tunisia is characterized by marked ethnic diversity, highlighted by the coexistence of native Berbers with Blacks, Jews and Arab-speaking populations. Despite this heterogeneity, genetic anthropology studies investigating the origin of current Southern Tunisians were rarely reported. We examined human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I (A, B) and class II (DRB1, DQB1) gene profiles of 250 unrelated Southern Tunisians, and compared them with those of Arab-speaking communities, along with Mediterranean and sub-Sahara African populations using genetic distances, neighbor-joining dendrograms, correspondence and haplotype analysis. In total, 137 HLA alleles were detected, which comprised 32 HLA-A, 52 HLA-B, 32 DRB1 and 21 DQB1 alleles. The most frequent alleles were HLA-A*02:01(18.02%), HLA-B*50:01 (9.11%), HLA-DRB1*07:01 (22.06%) and HLA-DQB1*02:01 (17.21%). All pairs of HLA loci show significant linkage disequilibrium. The four loci depict negative Fnd (the normalized deviate of the homozygosity) values indicating an overall trend to balancing selection. Southern Tunisians appear to be closely related to others Tunisian populations including Berbers, North Africans and Iberians. On the contrary, Southern Tunisians were distinct from Palestinian, Lebanese and Jordanian Middle Eastern Arab-speaking population, despite the deep Arab incursions and Arabization that affected Southern Tunisia. In addition, Southern Tunisians were distant from many sub-Saharan communities, evidenced by genetic distance analysis. Collectively, this indicates a limited genetic contribution of Arab invasion and Black caravans on the makeup of Southern Tunisian gene pool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelhafidh Hajjej
- Department of Immunogenetics, National Blood Transfusion Center, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Wassim Y Almawi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain
| | - Lasmar Hattab
- Department of Medical Analysis, Regional Hospital of Gabes, Gabes, Tunisia
| | - Amel El-Gaaied
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Department of Biology, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Slama Hmida
- Department of Immunogenetics, National Blood Transfusion Center, Tunis, Tunisia
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8
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Hajjej A, Almawi WY, Hattab L, El-Gaaied A, Hmida S. HLA Class I and Class II Alleles and Haplotypes Confirm the Berber Origin of the Present Day Tunisian Population. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0136909. [PMID: 26317228 PMCID: PMC4552629 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0136909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 08/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In view of its distinct geographical location and relatively small area, Tunisia witnessed the presence of many civilizations and ethnic groups throughout history, thereby questioning the origin of present-day Tunisian population. We investigated HLA class I and class II gene profiles in Tunisians, and compared this profile with those of Mediterranean and Sub-Sahara African populations. A total of 376 unrelated Tunisian individuals of both genders were genotyped for HLA class I (A, B) and class II (DRB1, DQB1), using reverse dot-blot hybridization (PCR-SSO) method. Statistical analysis was performed using Arlequin software. Phylogenetic trees were constructed by DISPAN software, and correspondence analysis was carried out by VISTA software. One hundred fifty-three HLA alleles were identified in the studied sample, which comprised 41, 50, 40 and 22 alleles at HLA-A,-B,-DRB1 and -DQB1 loci, respectively. The most frequent alleles were HLA-A*02:01 (16.76%), HLA-B*44:02/03 (17.82%), HLA-DRB1*07:01 (19.02%), and HLA-DQB1*03:01 (17.95%). Four-locus haplotype analysis identified HLA-A*02:01-B*50:01-DRB1*07:01-DQB1*02:02 (2.2%) as the common haplotype in Tunisians. Compared to other nearby populations, Tunisians appear to be genetically related to Western Mediterranean population, in particular North Africans and Berbers. In conclusion, HLA genotype results indicate that Tunisians are related to present-day North Africans, Berbers and to Iberians, but not to Eastern Arabs (Palestinians, Jordanians and Lebanese). This suggests that the genetic contribution of Arab invasion of 7th-11th century A.D. had little impact of the North African gene pool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelhafidh Hajjej
- Department of Immunogenetics, National Blood Transfusion Center, Tunis, Tunisia
- * E-mail:
| | - Wassim Y. Almawi
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain
| | - Lasmar Hattab
- Department of Medical Analysis, Regional Hospital of Gabes, Gabes, Tunisia
| | - Amel El-Gaaied
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Department of Biology, University of Tunis – El-Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Slama Hmida
- Department of Immunogenetics, National Blood Transfusion Center, Tunis, Tunisia
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