A haplotype study of HLA complex with special reference to the HLA-DR series and to Bf. C2 and glyoxalase I polymorphisms.

Fifty-three French families were typed for alleles at seven loci of the HLA complex (HLA-A, -B, -C, -DR, -Bf, -C2 and -GLO) and 212 haplotypes were demonstrated. Eleven recombinations were observed (two A/B, two A/C, two B/Bf, one Bf/D and four D/GLO). The linkage disequilibrium was calculated not only between two alleles (delta) but between three, four...seven alleles (D). In order to compare the intensity of D values in the various haplotypes, the influence of the differences in gene frequencies was eliminated by the introduction of the standardized Ds (Ds = D/D max). The number of haplotypes in disequilibrium is relatively limited since most of the significant Ds involved about 17 haplotypes. For some haplotypes, the disequilibrium covered the whole distance from A to GLO but the stronger disequilibrium concerns the C to Bf or C to DR segment. Three hypotheses (isolation, admixture of population and selection) concerning the formation and maintenance of the disequilibria are discussed.