FREQUENCY AND ASSOCIATIONS OF HLA CLASS-II TAQI ALLOGENOTYPES IN THE NORTHERN-IRELAND POPULATION

HLA-DR allogenotyping was performed on a panel of 1019 Caucasian individuals from the Northern Ireland population, of whom 150 were also HLA-DQ allogenotyped, using a single enzyme (TaqI) multiple probe system. TaqI/DRB restriction fragment length polymorphisms correlate well with the serologically defined specificities and in addition detect further subtypes of these associated with DQ or Dw specificities. The most frequent DRB allogenotype were DRβ15, DRβ4, and DRβ17 (Dw24). The frequency of the subtype of DRβ4 associated with DQβ3 (TA10+) was higher than that reported elsewhere for Caucasian populations, whereas the frequency of the subtype of DRβ4 associated with DQβ3 (TA10- was subsequently reduced. The subtype of DRβ4 associated with DQβ3 (TA10+ were associated with B44. The TaqI/DXα gene polymorphisms, as revealed by the DQα cDNA probe, were found to be associated with DRβ allogenotypes. © 1990.