HLA polymorphism in six Malay subethnic groups in Malaysia

Area of Science:

• Population genetics
• Immunogenetics
• Anthropology

Background:

• The Malay population in Peninsular Malaysia comprises diverse subethnic groups with unique genetic histories.
• Understanding human leukocyte antigen (HLA) diversity is crucial for population genetics and disease association studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the genetic diversity and relationships among six Malay subethnic groups in Peninsular Malaysia.
• To characterize the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I and II allele frequencies within these groups.

Main Methods:

• Sequence-specific primer typing was employed to analyze HLA class I and II alleles.
• 176 unrelated individuals from six Malay subethnic groups were studied.

Main Results:

• Common HLA alleles identified across groups include A*24, Cw*07, B*15, DRB1*12, and DQB1*03.
• Banjar, Bugis, and Jawa Malays showed no significant genetic differences, suggesting a shared origin from the Java Sea region.
• Minangkabau and Rawa Malays exhibited high similarities, likely due to their common origin from Sumatera.
• Kelantan Malays presented statistically significant genetic differences and unique frequent haplotypes compared to other groups.

Conclusions:

• The Malay subethnic groups share close genetic ties with each other and other Asian populations.
• Distinct genetic profiles within subethnic groups, particularly Kelantan Malays, highlight unique evolutionary histories and potential implications for health disparities.