HLA-DR and -DQ DNA genotyping in seven populations of Asia-Oceania and Australia.

Haplotype patterns of HLA-DR and -DQ restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) were compared in seven populations in the region of Asia-Oceania: Australian Caucasoids, Melanesians, micronesians, Polynesians, Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese. Several DR beta RFLP patterns, including those correlating with DR2, 4,5, w6, 7 and w8 in Caucasoids, were associated with multiple DQ alpha/DQ beta RFLP haplotypes, of which only two occurred universally - one associated with DR4 and one with DR5. RFLPs revealed new population or group specific characteristics, which had not been previously discovered using serological or cellular HLA typing techniques. The populations of Asia-Oceania have some features of the class II RFLPs in common, which are distinctly different from Caucasoids. On the other hand, a number of characteristics distinguish between the various Asian and Pacific groups. This study demonstrates the power of RFLP analysis of closely linked genes in population genetics, and shows the value of ethnic comparisons in further characterizing the polymorphisms of the HLA class II genes.