Identification, sequencing and serology of HLA-B*3527

We describe a variant HLA-B*35 allele (B*3527) that was detected by the polymerase chain reaction using sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP) in an individual on the Welsh Bone Marrow Donor registry. B*3527 differs from B*3501 by a single base (G/A) at position 302 that encodes an amino acid change of Ser to Asn at position 71 in the Bw6 epitope. Serological studies using 38 B35-, 4 Bw6 and 7 Bw4-reactive sera indicated that the B*3527 product was indistinguishable from the B35 specificity, and that the substitution did not significantly affect the Bw6 epitope. A family study determined the B*3527 bearing haplotype as: HLA-A*29, B*3527, Cw*0401, DRB1*0404, DRB4*0101/0103, DQA1*03, DQB1*0302, BFS, C4A3, C4B1. The phenotype and gene frequencies in the local Welsh population were<0.01% and <0.00005%, respectively.