Detection of 549 new HLA alleles in potential stem cell donors from the United States, Poland and Germany

We characterized 549 new human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I and class II alleles found in newly registered stem cell donors as a result of high‐throughput HLA typing. New alleles include 101 HLA‐A, 132 HLA‐B, 105 HLA‐C, 2 HLA‐DRB1, 89 HLA‐DQB1 and 120 HLA‐DPB1 alleles. Mainly, new alleles comprised single nucleotide variations when compared with homologous sequences. We identified nonsynonymous nucleotide mutations in 70.7% of all new alleles, synonymous variations in 26.4% and nonsense substitutions in 2.9% (null alleles). Some new alleles (55, 10.0%) were found multiple times, HLA‐DPB1 alleles being the most frequent among these. Furthermore, as several new alleles were identified in individuals from ethnic minority groups, the relevance of recruiting donors belonging to such groups and the importance of ethnicity data collection in donor centers and registries is highlighted.

Influence of HLA on human partnership and sexual satisfaction

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC, called HLA in humans) is an important genetic component of the immune system. Fish, birds and mammals prefer mates with different genetic MHC code compared to their own, which they determine using olfactory cues. This preference increases the chances of high MHC variety in the offspring, leading to enhanced resilience against a variety of pathogens. Humans are also able to discriminate HLA related olfactory stimuli, however, it is debated whether this mechanism is of behavioural relevance. We show on a large sample (N = 508), with high-resolution typing of HLA class I/II, that HLA dissimilarity correlates with partnership, sexuality and enhances the desire to procreate. We conclude that HLA mediates mate behaviour in humans.

Identification of 2127 new HLA class I alleles in potential stem cell donors from Germany, the United States and Poland

We describe 2127 new human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I alleles found in registered stem cell donors. These alleles represent 28.9% of the currently known class I alleles. Comparing new allele sequences to homologous sequences, we found 68.1% nonsynonymous nucleotide substitutions, 28.9% silent mutations and 3.0% nonsense mutations. Many substitutions occurred at positions that have not been known to be polymorphic before. A large number of HLA alleles and nucleotide variations underline the extreme diversity of the HLA system. Strikingly, 156 new alleles were found not only multiple times, but also in carriers of various parentage, suggesting that some new alleles are not necessarily rare. Moreover, new alleles were found especially often in minority donors. This emphasizes the benefits of specifically recruiting such groups of individuals.

High density FTA plates serve as efficient long-term sample storage for HLA genotyping

Storage of dried blood spots (DBS) on high-density FTA(®) plates could constitute an appealing alternative to frozen storage. However, it remains controversial whether DBS are suitable for high-resolution sequencing of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles. Therefore, we extracted DNA from DBS that had been stored for up to 4 years, using six different methods. We identified those extraction methods that recovered sufficient high-quality DNA for reliable high-resolution HLA sequencing. Further, we confirmed that frozen whole blood samples that had been stored for several years can be transferred to filter paper without compromising HLA genotyping upon extraction. Concluding, DNA derived from high-density FTA(®) plates is suitable for high-resolution HLA sequencing, provided that appropriate extraction protocols are employed.

Electroconvulsive therapy resolves cortical inhibition and manneristic omissions in a chronic catatonic patient

We investigated a patient with severe catatonic schizophrenia (manneristic catatonia according to Karl Leonhard) treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) after pharmacological approaches did not result in any clinical improvement. Before and after nine ECT sessions a double-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) paradigm was used to measure intracortical inhibition (ICI) which has been shown to be reduced in a significant proportion of patients with schizophrenia. Although the patient showed no remission regarding some psychomotor aspects after ECT, we found an increase in ICI and a remarkable clinical improvement of catatonic omissions which might be due to changes in the GABAergic system.