HLA-linked genetic markers in Chinese and other Oriental populations

The polymorphic variants of the HLA-linked genetic markers Bf, C2, C4 and GLO-I were studied in three mongoloid populations. Analysis of linkage dis-equilibrium between these markers and HLA-A, B, C and DR antigens was carried out on test results from 140 unrelated Chinese individuals. The phenotypes BfS and GLO-2 were found at significantly higher frequencies than in Caucasians. BfS was associated with B12 in Japanese but not in Chinese. A single individual with the rare Bf variant S1 was found. No C2 deficient individuals were observed. The C2C (common) allele occurred at a gene frequency of 0.949 and the more basic allele C2B at 0.039. The acidic variant, C2A, was observed at a frequency of 0.011 and appeared to be associated with BfF. Eighty-nine per cent of the Chinese were phenotypically C4FS. In contrast to Bf and C2, each of which is coded for by codominant alleles at a single genetic locus, C4 is coded for by two genes, C4F (Rodgers) and C4S (Chido). The C4F locus allele, C4F1 (extra fast), was strongly associated with HLA-B17, as has been found in other populations, but a new association of the C4S locus deficiency allele, C4so (Ch-), with B17 was also observed. All HLA-B17;C4so haplotypes were BfS position. As has been previously found in Caucasian populations, individuals of the C4F phenotype (i.e. genotypically FsoFso) were all found to be Chido negative. The frequencies of the various HLA-linked genetic markers, however, as much as the frequencies and associations of the HLA antigens themselves, distinguish these populations from other ethnic groups.