HLA Genes in Mayos Population from Northeast Mexico

A Arnaiz-Villena,J Granados,A La Pena,J Serrano-Vela,A Ferri,J Moscoso,N Perez-Hernandez,G Vargas-Alarcon,E Seclen,R Izaguirre,R Reguera

doi:10.2174/138920207783591735

Abstract

HLA class I and class II alleles have been studied in 60 unrelated people belonging to Mayos ethnic group, which lives in the Mexican Pacific Sinaloa State. Mayos HLA profile was compared to other Amerindians and worldwide populations’ profile. A total of 14,896 chromosomes were used for comparisons. Genetic distances between populations, Neigbour-Joining dendrograms and correspondence analyses were performed to determine the genetic relationship among population. The new specific Mayo HLA haplotypes found are: HLA-A*02-B*35-DRB1*1406-DQB1*0301; HLA-A*02-B*48-DRB1*0404-DQB1*0302; HLA-A*24-B*51-DRB1*0407-DQB1*0302 and HLA-A*02-B*08-DRB1*0407-DQB1*0302. However, the typical Meso American HLADRB1*0407 represents a 40% of all DRB1 alleles. While common HLA characteristics are found in Amerindian distant ethnic groups, still new group specific HLA haplotypes are being found, suggesting that a common founder effect (i.e. high DRB1*0407) is noticed. Moreover, new HLA haplotypes are almost certainly appearing along time probably due to specific pathogen (?) selection for diversity. Mayo language is close to the Tarahumara one (another geographically close group); notwithstanding both groups are not genetically close according to our results, showing again the different evolution of genes and languages, which do not correlate. Finally, Sinaloa is one of the Mexican States in which more European genes are found. However, the results presented in this paper, where no European HLA genes are seen in Mayos, should have a bearing in establishing transplant programs and in HLA and disease studies.

Highlights

The West Mexican Mayos form an isolated ethnic Amerindian group, which lives on a flat half desert and half cultivated area, Southern Sonora and North Sinaloa, see Fig. (1).They speak a Nahua/Aztec type language with some dialects that do not hinder mutual understanding
With respect to Guarani population, we could observe that a more larger genetic distance exists with Mayos; larger than with other non Amerindian population (Athabaskans), this fact may be due to the low number of HLA typings of the Guarani population or to admixture (Table 3)
The most frequent extended HLA haplotypes have Amerindian characteristics and it has been found in other Amerindian populations

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The West Mexican Mayos form an isolated ethnic Amerindian group, which lives on a flat half desert and half cultivated area, Southern Sonora and North Sinaloa, see Fig. (1). They speak a Nahua/Aztec type language with some dialects that do not hinder mutual understanding They call themselves Yoremes and probably migrated to the present day location from the North (Colorado River Basin) about 1,000 years ago [1]. The present study aims: 1) To relate Mayos group with other Amerindian groups; and 2) To relate Mayos with other worldwide groups, in order to test the uniqueness of all Amerindians [4] with respect to their HLA profiles This is important for establishing transplant programs in rural areas where some ethnic groups still live, i.e. Mayos, and for studying the epidemiology of HLA linked disorders. Mayos has been HLA typed and thereafter the genetic relationship with others Amerindians tested by HLA-A, -B, DRB1 and –DQB1 DNA typing calculating genetic distances, neighbor-joining dendrograms and correspondence analyses

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RESULTS

Findings

DISCUSSION