HLA-DP polymorphism in Venezuelan Amerindians

Three different Venezuelan Amerindian tribes were studied for human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DPA1 and DPB1 allelic variability using polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes (PCR-SSOP) and sequence-based typing in a selected group of samples. These tribes are geographically (two from the Perija Mountain range and one from the Orinoco Delta) and linguistically distinct: the Bari (from Campo Rosario and Saymaidoyi villages) and the Warao have been classified within the Chibcha linguistic family, whereas the Yucpa (from the Aroy, Marewa, and Peraya villages) are Carib speaking. Venezuelan Indians, like other Native American tribes, show a markedly reduced number of different HLA-DP alleles (range, 2-7) and haplotypes (range, 4-11) in comparison with neighboring Venezuelan mestizo and other non-Indian populations. Some HLA-DPB1 (*0402 and *1401) alleles characteristic for all Amerindian tribes are present also in these populations. Despite general similarities, each tribe and, in some cases, some subtribes show their own pattern of allele and haplotype distribution apparently more as a result of linguistic than to geographic variation.