Viray J, Rolfs B, Smith D G
Department of Anthropology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis 95616, USA.
Comp Med. 2001 Dec;51(6):555-61.
The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) comprises related gene families, some of which are highly polymorphic, whose protein products mediate immune response. Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) are a vital animal model for research in human diseases and are native to regions extending from Afghanistan in the west to the Eastern Plains of China and from Peking to the north, southward through islands of Southeast Asia. The distributions of MHC class-II Mamu DQA1 and Mamu DQB1 alleles in two groups of domestically bred rhesus macaques of Indian and Chinese origin and the Mamu DQA1 genotypes of a small number of Burmese rhesus macaques were compared. Major allelic differences were observed between the Indian and Chinese rhesus macaques, and gene diversity decreased from east to west. These and other intra-specific genetic differences among regional populations of rhesus macaques might influence the outcome of biomedical research in which they are used as subjects, and illustrate the importance of completely genetically characterizing subjects used as animal models in biomedical research.
主要组织相容性复合体（MHC）由相关基因家族组成，其中一些具有高度多态性，其蛋白质产物介导免疫反应。恒河猴（猕猴）是人类疾病研究的重要动物模型，原产于从西部的阿富汗到中国东部平原、从北京以北向南延伸至东南亚岛屿的地区。比较了两组印度和中国原产的家养恒河猴中MHC II类Mamu DQA1和Mamu DQB1等位基因的分布以及少数缅甸恒河猴的Mamu DQA1基因型。在印度和中国恒河猴之间观察到主要等位基因差异，并且基因多样性从东向西降低。恒河猴区域种群之间的这些以及其他种内遗传差异可能会影响以它们为研究对象的生物医学研究结果，并说明了在生物医学研究中对用作动物模型的研究对象进行完全基因特征分析的重要性。
