Three newly identified HLA-B alleles: B*5124, B*5306, B*5307 and confirmation of B*0809 and B*5606

Five HLA-B sequences are described which have been detected as irregular patterns during routine molecular typing. Sequencing of HLA-B exon 2 and 3, both heterozygous and after group specific amplification, revealed three new HLA-B alleles: B*5124, B*5306 and B*5307, whereas the sequences of B*0809 and B*5606 were confirmed. Serological typing showed that B*0809 is expressed as a regular B8, B*5124 as a regular B51, B*5306 as a B51/B53-like variant and B*5606 as a B"blank"-Bw6.     

A new HLA-B*15 variant - B*9507

The human leukocyte antigen-B*15 variant B*9507 is similar to B*1505 (B62) but with substitutions of A>C at position 463 and G>C at position 477 in exon 3. This results in a single amino acid change of serine to arginine (AGC>CGC) at codon 131 and a silent substitution (GCG>GCC - conserved alanine) at codon 135.     

A novel HLA-B*46 allele, B*4609, identified by sequence-based typing in a Chinese donor

A novel human leukocyte antigen-B allele, B*4609, has been identified. The B*4609 allele has one nucleotide change from the closest matching allele B*460101 resulting in an amino acid change from E (GAG) to V (GTG) at codon 176.     

A new HLA-B*08 variant - B*0838

HLA-B*0838 differs from B*080101 by three nucleotides resulting in an amino acid change of 63asparagine to 63glutamic acid and a synonymous substitution.     

A new HLA-B*51 variant, B*5158, identified by sequence-based typing in a Korean individual

A novel human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B*51 allele, officially named HLA-B*5158, was identified in the cord blood from Korean. HLA-B*5158 allele shows single nucleotide difference from B*510101 in exon 2 at nucleotide position 214 (C/T), resulting in an amino acid substitution, Trp48Arg.     

Immunogenetics of two new HLA-B alleles: B*4414 and B*5708

Two new alleles, HLA-B*4414 and B*5708, were identified in north-western European Caucasoid blood donors. B*4414 differed from B*440201 by two nucleotide substitutions in exon 3 [positions 66 (T to C) and 69 (G to A)] producing two amino acid differences between the B*440201 and B*4414 specificities (tyrosine to histidine at codon 113 and aspartic acid to asparagine at codon 114). B*5708 differed from B*570101 by a single substitution (G to C) at position 247 in exon 2 causing an amino acid difference between B*570101 and B*5708 products of arginine to proline at codon 83. The likely haplotypes bearing these alleles were identified. Both alleles occurred once in approximately 25,000 random blood donors so both have a frequency of approximately 0.00002 (carriage frequency 0.004%). B*4414 and B*5708 specificities both gave 'short' serological reactivity for their expected specificities and Bw4. The likely reasons for this are discussed in relation to the epitopes of B44 and B57.     

Sequence, genetics and serology of a new HLA-B allele: B*4903

A new HLA-B allele - B*4903 - was detected by the polymerase chain reaction using sequence-specific priming (PCR-SSP), in a Caucasoid bone marrow panel donor, that differs from B*4901 by 8 nucleotides at positions 141, 142, 144, 165, 167, 193, 206 and 213 in exon 2. These substitutions all occur in HLA-B*51 and B*52 alleles and encode 4 amino acid substitutions at positions 24 (Thr to Ala), 32 (Leu to Gln), 41 (Thr to Ala) and 45 (Lys to Thr). This suggests that B*4903 occurred following a gene conversion-like event involving B*4901 and probably a B*51 allele. HLA-B*4903 was identified on a haplotype with: HLA-A*0201; Cw*07; DRB1*1302/34; DRB3*0301; DQA1*0102; DQB1*0604; BfS; C4A3; C4BQ0 and encodes a unique serological specificity which was characterised by the reactivity of 55 antisera directed towards at least four predicted epitopes. No further examples of B*4903 were found in 15,796 consecutive HLA PCR-SSP typed donors from the Welsh Bone Marrow Donor Registry, indicating that this allele has a phenotype frequency of <0.01% and a gene frequency of <0.00004.     

A new HLA-B allele, B*1565, identified in three unrelated samples

Anew human leukocyte antigen-B allele, B*1565, has been identified during routine typing of cord blood samples. Subsequently, two individuals from the same family as the first cord blood sample plus two unrelated Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry samples have been found to carry this novel allele.     

A novel HLA-B*15 allele, B*9524, identified by sequence-based tying in the Chinese population

We report here the identification of a novel human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B*9524 allele that was detected by polymerase chain reaction sequence-based typing.     

Identification of a new HLA-B*40 variant,B*4035

In this report, the novel allele B*40351 is presented. The allele was identified in a Caucasian individual by sequence-based typing. B*4035 is identical to B*4002 in exon 2, but differs in exon 3 at position 463, where it has an A in stead of a C. This results in an amino acid change from arginine to serine at codon 131 of the mature protein. The haplotype carrying the B*4035 was A3 B*4035 Cw2 DR11 DQ3.     

Characterization of HLA-B*3921 and confirmation of HLA-B*4415, two variant HLA-B alleles identified in the Omani population

We describe a variant HLA-B*39 allele present in two individuals from Oman, which has been officially named HLA-B*3921. In addition we confirm the existence of HLA-B*4415, an allele closely related to HLA-B*4501 differing only at the Bw4/Bw6 epitope.     

Identification of a new HLA-B*56 variant, B*5614

In this report, the novel allele B*5614 is presented. The allele was identified in a Chinese individual by sequence-based typing. HLA-B*5614 differs from B*5608 by a single nucleotide at position 277G-->C in exon 2. This results in an amino acid change from Gly to Arg at codon 93.     

A new HLA-B*44 variant, B*4453, identified by haplotype-specific extraction and sequencing-based typing

We report the identification of a novel HLA B*44 allele, officially named B*4453, found in an Austrian patient and his two sisters.     

Immunogenetics of two new HLA alleles: A*0108 and B*4031

Two new alleles, HLA-A*0108 and B*4031, were identified in north-western European Caucasoid subjects. A*0108 differed from A*010101 by a single substitution (C to T) at position 216 in exon 3, resulting in an amino acid difference of Arg to Trp at position 163. It was present on a haplotype with B*1501/60/70/71; Cw*0303; DRB1*1301; DRB3*0202; DQA1*0103; DQB1*0603 and its product reacted as a normal HLA-A1 specificity. B*4031 differed from B*4001 by two nucleotides in exon 3 (positions 20 (G to C) and 69 (A to G)) resulting in two amino acid differences (Arg to Ser at position 97 and Asn to Asp at position 114). It was found on a haplotype with HLA-A*03; Cw*0304; DRB1*0404/32; DRB4*0101/3/5; DQA1*03; DQB1*0302 and has the HLA-B60 specificity. Both alleles have frequencies of < 0.0002 in the largely north-western European Caucasoid blood donor population resident in Wales.     

Sequence of an HLA-B56 variant (B*5604) identified in the Korean Population

Abstract: Three alleles encoding molecules with the B56 serologic specificity have been reported thus far. This study characterized an additional allele encoding a B56 molecule from two unrelated Korean individuals. The novel allele, B*5604, differs from B*5602 by a single nucleotide substitution at codon 103 (CTG→GTG) resulting in an amino acid change from leucine to valine. The putative haplotype associated with the novel allele was A2-B*5604-Bw6-Cw7-DRB1*15-DRB5*02-DQAl*01-DQB1*05.