Deduced probable HLA-C*07:359-associated human leukocyte antigen haplotypes found by case analysis of Taiwanese unrelated bone marrow hematopoietic stem cell donors

Kuo-Liang Yang^{a, b}

^a Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Tzu Chi Cord Blood Bank and Buddhist Tzu Chi Marrow Donor Registry, Buddhist Tzu Chi Stem Cells Centre, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan
^b Department of Laboratory Medicine, Buddhist Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan

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Open Access funded by Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation

Abstract

Objectives

HLA-C*07:359 is a low-incidence allele in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-C locus. The objective of this study is to report the ethnicity and haplotypes of HLA-C*07:359 that were found during an analysis of Taiwanese unrelated bone marrow hematopoietic stem cell donors.

Materials and methods

A sequence-based typing method was employed to confirm low-incidence alleles. Polymerase chain reaction was performed to amplify exon 2 and exon 3 of the HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-C loci, as well as exon 2 of the HLA-DRB1 locus, using group-specific primer sets. The amplicons were sequenced in both directions using BigDye Terminator Cycle Sequencing Ready Reaction kits, according to the manufacturer's protocols. The potential unrelated bone marrow stem cell donors investigated here are individuals with Taiwanese ethnicity who are participating in the Tzu Chi Bone Marrow Donor Registry.

Results

The DNA sequence of C*07:359 is identical to that of C*07:02:01:01 in exons 2, 3, and 4 except at residue 862, where the G of C*07:02:01:01 is substituted by the A of C*07:359. The nucleotide exchange leads to an amino acid replacement at codon 264, where the glutamic acid of C*07:02:01:01 is replaced by the lysine of C*07:359. We deduced a probable HLA-B and HLA-C haplotype that is associated with C*07:359 in Taiwanese, namely B*39-C*07:359.

Conclusion

Information on the ethnicity of the C*07:359 allele and its deduced probable HLA haplotypes that are associated with the low-incidence C*07:359 allele reported here are of value to HLA testing laboratories for reference purposes. In addition, they can be used by stem cell transplantation donor search coordinators to determine a strategy for finding compatible donors using unrelated bone marrow donor registries when patients carry this uncommon HLA allele.

Keywords

Haplotype; Hematopoietic stem cell; Human leukocyte antigen; Sequence-based typing; Transplantation