MICA, MICB Polymorphisms and Linkage Disequilibrium with HLA-B in a Chinese Mongolian Population

In this study, polymorphisms of major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related genes A and B (MICA and MICB) and human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-B gene were investigated for 158 unrelated Chinese Mongolian subjects recruited from central Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, northern China, by polymerase chain reaction-sequence-based typing (PCR-SBT) and cloning. Collectively, 79 alleles, including 20 MICA, 12 MICB and 47 HLA-B alleles, were identified. MICA*008:01 (21.2%), MICB*005:02 (48.1%) and HLA-B*51:01 (7.91%) were the most common alleles. Significant global linkage disequilibrium (LD) was detected between HLA-B and MICA, HLA-B and MICB, and MICA and MICB loci (all P < 0.000001). The most frequent haplotypes were HLA-B*51:01-MICA*009:01 (7.28%), HLA-B*58:01-MICB*008 (6.96%), MICA*010-MICB*005:02 (13.92%) and HLA-B*58:01-MICA*002:01-MICB*008 (6.96%). HLA-B-MICA haplotypes such as HLA-B*50:01-MICA*009:02 were associated with single MICB allele. Some HLA-B-MICA haplotypes were associated with multiple MICB alleles, including HLA-B*51:01-MICA*009:01. One novel MICB allele, MICB*031, was identified, which has possibly arisen from MICB*002:01 through single mutation event. We also confirmed the existence of a recently recognized MICA allele, MICA*073, whose ethnic origin has not been previously described. Genotype distributions at MICA, MICB and HLA-B were consistent with a neutrality model. Our results provide new insight into MIC genetic polymorphisms in Chinese ethnic groups. Findings shown here are important from an anthropologic perspective and will inform future studies of the potential role of MIC genes in allogeneic organ transplantation and HLA-linked disease association in populations of related ancestry.