[Mink IgG-allotypes and Aleutian disease]

IgG polymorphism (allotypes H3, H4, H6 and H8 of constant region of the gamma-chain) was investigated in healthy and affected with Aleutian disease (AD) minks from two Siberian and one Danish populations. In all three populations, the expression of H3 and H4 allotypes was strongly associated with AD. Among the AD minks the frequency of H6, H8 phenotype was found to be decreased, whereas the frequency of H3, H4, H6, H8 phenotype was significantly increased. At the same time, the populational distribution of the rest phenotypes was similar among healthy and AD minks. The H3, H4, H6, H8 minks showed the highest pathomorphological characteristics of AD. Based on the data concerning mink H3 and H4, and human Gm allotypes, their role as possible genetic markers for hereditary susceptibility to distinct disease is discussed.