The HLA dictionary 1999: a summary of HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1/3/4/5, -DQB1 alleles and their association with serologically defined HLA-A, -B, -C, -DR, and -DQ antigens.

This report presents serologic equivalents of 90 HLA-A, 190 HLA-B, and 145 HLA-DRB1 alleles. The equivalents cover over 70% of the presently identified HLA-A, -B, and -DRB1 alleles. The dictionary is an update of the one published in 1997 and now also includes equivalents for HLA-C, DRB3, DRB4, DRB5, and DQB1 alleles. The data summarize information obtained by the WHO HLA Nomenclature Committee, the International Cell Exchange (UCLA), the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), and by individual laboratories. In addition, a listing is provided of alleles that are expressed as antigens with serologic reaction patterns that differ from the well-established HLA specificities and that often lack official WHO nomenclature. The provided equivalents will be useful in guiding searches for unrelated donors in which patients and/or potential donors are typed by either serology or DNA-based methods. These equivalents will also serve typing and matching procedures for organ transplant programs where HLA typings from donors and from recipients on waiting lists represent mixtures of serologic and molecular typings. Some guidelines are provided for the use of appropriate WHO HLA nomenclature for serologic typings and for generic and allele specific typings obtained with molecular methods. The tables with HLA equivalents and the questionnaire for submission of serology on poorly identified alleles will also be available at the WMDA web page: www.bmdw.org/wmda.