HLA DR/DQ type in a Malay population in Kelantan, Malaysia

The human leucocyte antigen (HLA) has been documented to be involved in various disease susceptibilities or in resistance against certain diseases. An important element in susceptibility and resistance to disease is ethnic genetic constitution. Cognizant of this, the present study aimed at studying the prevalence of particular HLA class II in a normal healthy Malay population which may serve as a guide for further genetic and immunological studies related to the Malay Malaysian population. The study involved 40 normal healthy Malay persons in Kelantan. HLA typing was conducted on venous blood samples through a polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primer method (low resolution Olerup SSP© HLA Typing Kits). The study found HLA DR12 and HLA DQ8 to be the most frequent HLA class II type. HLA DQ5 was significantly associated with female subjects.