Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The genetic relationship among Iranian ethnic groups: an anthropological view based on HLA class II gene polymorphism

  • Published:
Molecular Biology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Highly polymorphic human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes are considered as useful markers by molecular anthropologists to determine genetic relationship among populations. This review summarizes the results of molecular analyses of HLA class II gene polymorphism in 816 DNA samples from 11 Iranian ethnic groups. The genetic relationship of Iranians to Asians and Europeans has also been reported here. The results of this study revealed a close genetic relationship among Iranian subpopulations which were well separated from other Asian and European populations, however, a genetic similarity was observed among Iranians, Macedonians, Greeks, and Italians.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Solberg OD, Mack SJ, Lancaster AK et al (2008) Balancing selection and heterogeneity across the classical human leukocyte antigen loci: a meta-analytic review of 497 population studies. Hum Immunol 69:443–464. doi:10.1016/j.humimm.2008.05.001

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Farjadian S, Moqadam FA, Ghaderi A (2006) HLA class II gene polymorphism in Parsees and Zoroastrians of Iran. Int J Immunogenet 33:185–191. doi:10.1111/j.1744-313X.2006.00594.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Farjadian S, Naruse T, Kawata H et al (2004) Molecular analysis of HLA allele frequencies and haplotypes in Baloch of Iran compared with related populations of Pakistan. Tissue Antigens 64:581–587. doi:10.1111/j.1399-0039.2004.00302.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Farjadian S, Ghaderi A (2007) HLA class II genetic diversity in Arabs and Jews of Iran. Iran J Immunol 4:85–93

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Farjadian S, Ghaderi A (2007) HLA class II similarities in Iranian Kurds and Azeris. Int J Immunogenet 34:457–463. doi:10.1111/j.1744-313X.2007.00723.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Frjadian S, Ghaderi A (2006) Iranian Lurs genetic diversity: an anthropological view based on HLA class II profiles. Iran J Immunol 3:106–113

    Google Scholar 

  7. Inoko H, Ota M (1993) PCR/RFLP. In: Hui KM, Bidwell JL (eds) Handbook of HLA typing techniques. CRC, Boca Raton, pp 9–70

    Google Scholar 

  8. Amirzargar A, Mytilineos J, Farjadian S et al (2001) Human leukocyte antigen class II allele frequencies and haplotype association in Iranian normal population. Hum Immunol 62:1234–1238. doi:10.1016/S0198-8859(01)00320-2

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Saruhan-Direskeneli G, Uyar FA, Bakar S et al (2000) Molecular analysis of HLA-DRB1, DQA1 and DQB1 polymorphism in Turkey. Tissue Antigens 55:171–174. doi:10.1034/j.1399-0039.2000.550211.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Rajalingam R, Krausa P, Shilling HG et al (2002) Distinctive KIR and HLA diversity in a panel of north Indian Hindus. Immunogenetics 53:1009–1019. doi:10.1007/s00251-001-0425-5

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Vidan-Jeras B, Jurca B, Dolzan V et al (2007) Slovenian from Slovenia. In: Hansen JA (ed) Immunobiology of the Human MHC: Proceedings of the 13th International Histocompatibility Workshop and Conference, vol 1. IHWG, Seattle, pp 602–604

  12. Sanchez-Velasco P, Gomez-Casado E, Martinez-Laso J et al (2003) HLA alleles in isolated populations from north Spain: origin of the Basques and the ancient Iberians. Tissue Antigens 61:384–392. doi:10.1034/j.1399-0039.2003.00041.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Papassavas EC, Spyropoulou-Vlachou M, Papassavas AC et al (2000) MHC class I and class II phenotype, gene, and haplotype frequencies in Greeks using molecular typing data. Hum Immunol 61:615–623. doi:10.1016/S0198-8859(00)00115-4

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Petrone A, Bugawan TL, Mesturino CA et al (2001) The distribution of HLA class II susceptible/protective haplotypes could partially explain the low incidence of type 1 diabetes in continental Italy (Lazio region). Tissue Antigens 58:385–394. doi:10.1034/j.1399-0039.2001.580607.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Constantinidou N, Chaidaroglou A, Van den Berg-Loonen EM et al (1998) Polymorphism and distribution of HLA-DR2 alleles and haplotypes in a Greek population. Tissue Antigens 52:153–157

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Bettinotti MP, McNicholas A, Keller E et al (1994) DRB11605: a new DR2-DRB1 allele found in a German family. Immunogenetics 39:300. doi:10.1007/BF00188799

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Meyer D, Singe RM, Mack SJ et al (2007) Single Locus Polymorphism of Classical HLA Genes. In: Hansen JA (ed) Immunobiology of the Human MHC: Proceedings of the 13th International Histocompatibility Workshop and Conference. vol I, IHWG, Seattle,pp 653–704

  18. Quintana-Murci L, Krausz C, Zerjal T et al (2001) Y chromosome lineages trace diffusion of people and languages in southwestern Asia. Am J Hum Genet 68:537–542. doi:10.1086/318200

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Uinuk-Ool TS, Takezaki N, Sukernik RI et al (2002) Origin and affinities of indigenous Siberian populations as revealed by HLA class II gene frequencies. Hum Genet 110:209–226. doi:10.1007/s00439-001-0668-0

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Almawi WY, Busson M, Tamim H et al (2004) HLA class II profile and distribution of HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 alleles and haplotypes among Lebanese and Bahraini Arabs. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol 11:770–774. doi:10.1128/CDLI.11.4.770-774.2004

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Amar A, Kwon OJ, Motro U et al (1999) Molecular analysis of HLA class II polymorphisms among different ethnic groups in Israel. Hum Immunol 60:723–730. doi:10.1016/S0198-8859(99)00043-9

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Saito S, Ota S, Yamada E et al (2000) Allele frequencies and haplotypic associations defined by allelic DNA typing at HLA class I and class II loci in the Japanese population. Tissue Antigens 56:522–529. doi:10.1034/j.1399-0039.2000.560606.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Lin JH, Liu ZH, Lv FJ et al (2003) Molecular analyses of HLA-DRB1, DPB1, and DQB1 in Jing ethnic minority of southwest China. Hum Immunol 64:830–834. doi:10.1016/S0198-8859(03)00128-9

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Sanchez-Velasco P, Karadsheh NS, Garcia-Martin A et al (2001) Molecular analysis of HLA allelic frequencies and haplotypes in Jordanians and comparison with other related populations. Hum Immunol 62:901–909. doi:10.1016/S0198-8859(01)00289-0

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Lee KW, Oh DH, Lee C et al (2005) Allelic and haplotypic diversity of HLA-A, B, C, DRB1, and DQB1 genes in the Korean population. Tissue Antigens 65:437–447. doi:10.1111/j.1399-0039.2005.00386.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Machulla HK, Batnasan D, Steinborn F et al (2003) Genetic affinities among Mongol ethnic groups and their relationship to Turks. Tissue Antigens 61:292–299. doi:10.1034/j.1399-0039.2003.00043.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Al-Hussein KA, Rama NR, Butt AI et al (2002) HLA class II sequence-based typing in normal Saudi individuals. Tissue Antigens 60:259–261. doi:10.1034/j.1399-0039.2002.600308.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Zhou L, Lin B, Xie Y et al (2005) Polymorphism of human leukocyte antigen DRB1, DQB1, and DPB1 genes of Shandong Han population in China. Tissue Antigens 66:37–43. doi:10.1111/j.1399-0039.2005.00418.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Sanchez-Velasco P, Leyva-Cobian F (2001) The HLA class I and class II allele frequencies studied at the DNA level in the Svanetian population (Upper Caucasus) and their relationships to western European populations. Tissue Antigens 58:223–233. doi:10.1034/j.1399-0039.2001.580402.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Martinez-Laso J, Sartakova M, Allende L et al (2001) HLA molecular markers in Tuvinians: a population with both Oriental and Caucasoid characteristics. Ann Hum Genet 65:245–261. doi:10.1046/j.1469-1809.2001.6530245.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Arnaiz-Villena A, Dimitroski K, Pacho A et al (2001) HLA genes in Macedonians and the sub-Saharan origin of the Greeks. Tissue Antigens 57:118–127. doi:10.1034/j.1399-0039.2001.057002118.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Cavalli-Sforza LL, Piazza A, Menozzi P et al (1998) Reconstruction of human evolution: bringing together genetic, archaeological, and linguistic data. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 85:6002–6006. doi:10.1073/pnas.85.16.6002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Arnaiz-Villena A, Iliakis P, Gonzalez-Hevilla M et al (1999) The origin of Cretan populations as determined by characterization of HLA alleles. Tissue Antigens 53:213–226. doi:10.1034/j.1399-0039.1999.530301.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Ivaskova E, Bendukidze N (2007) Czech from Prague, Czech Republic. In: Hansen JA (ed) Immunobiology of the human MHC: Proceedings of the 13th International Histocompatibility Workshop and Conference.vol 1. IHWG, Seattle, pp 597–598

  35. Muro M, Marin L, Torio A et al (2001) HLA polymorphism in the Murcia population (Spain): in the cradle of the archaeologic Iberians. Hum Immunol 62:910–921. doi:10.1016/S0198-8859(01)00290-7

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iranian Molecular Medicine Network and by Shiraz Institute of Cancer Research. We are grateful to all volunteers who have contributed in this project.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Immunology department, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 71345-1859, Shiraz, Iran

    Shirin Farjadian & Abbas Ghaderi

  2. Allergy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    Shirin Farjadian

  3. Department of Legal Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan

    Massao Ota

  4. Department of Basic Medicine and Molecular Medicine, Toki University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan

    Hidetoshi Inoko

  5. Institute of Cancer Research, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    Abbas Ghaderi

Authors
  1. Shirin Farjadian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Massao Ota
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hidetoshi Inoko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Abbas Ghaderi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shirin Farjadian.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Farjadian, S., Ota, M., Inoko, H. et al. The genetic relationship among Iranian ethnic groups: an anthropological view based on HLA class II gene polymorphism. Mol Biol Rep 36, 1943–1950 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-008-9403-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-008-9403-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation