Identification and sequence characterization of a novel HLA-A11 serological variant (HLA-A*1108)

In this report we describe the identification of a novel HLA-A*11 allele, HLA-A*1108, found in two individuals of a Spanish family. This new allele was detected during routine HLA typing by an atypical serological reactivity pattern and by inconclusive patterns obtained in DNA-based typing methods. The nucleotide sequence of exons 2 and 3 of HLA-A*1108 was identical to HLA-A*11011 except for two nucleotide substitutions at codons 152 (GCG-->GAG) and 156 (CAG-->CGG). These mutations change the non-charged amino acid alanine, at codon 152, to negative glutamic acid, and also non-charged glutamine, at codon 156, to positive arginine, which may explain its anomalous serological reactivity.