Validation of sensitive human leukocyte antigen-sequence-specific primer and probe typing in forensic DNA examination

Validation studies were carried out with the commercially available HLA typing kit using a PCR-SPP (sequence-specific primer and probe) technique. This technique has made it possible to type class I (HLA-A and -B) and class II (HLA-DRB1 and -DQB1) alleles at low-resolution level with total 10 ng of template DNA, in addition to amplify directly from various forms of blood samples without DNA isolation procedure. Experimental examinations with bloodstains smeared on cotton cloth that were a week to 3 months old, bloodstains on gauze stored for 18 years, and buccal cells revealed that this HLA-SPP typing kit is a sensitive and reliable method for forensic investigations.