Sequences of four splits of HLA-A10 group. Implications for serologic cross-reactivities and their evolution

Nucleotide sequences of alleles encoding four serologically defined splits of the HLA-A10 group, A26.1, A26.3, A26.4, and A10SA, were determined. It was confirmed that the alleles coding for A26.1 and A26.3 are identical with A*2602 and A*2601, respectively. On the other hand, alleles for A26.4 and A10SA are thus far undescribed. A26.4 (A*2603) was different from the other A26 splits at three positions: 74 histidine, 76 valine, and 77 aspartate. A10SA (A*2604) was different from A26.3 (A*2601) by a single substitution of arginine by leucine at position 163. A comparison of amino acid sequences of HLA-A10 cross-reacting antigens revealed that all of the A10 group antigens share specific amino acids: 142 isoleucine, 144 glutamine, 145 arginine, 149 threonine, and 152 glutamate. Moreover, A26.1, A26.3, A10SA, and A43 share 76 alanine and 77 asparagine, which is consistent with the reported serologic cross-reactivity. The close relationship between the alleles for the A10 cross-reacting group was supported by a phylogenetic tree analysis for the HLA-A alleles.