HLA in Colombia Wayu from Guajira Peninsula Amerindians: Pacific Ocean relationships

Wayu Amerindians live around Guajira Peninsula shared by Colombia and Venezuela. Wayu from Colombia have been studied for their HLA profile and these data put in context with both genetic and cultural relatedness to Pacific Islanders.HLA-A*24 and HLA-B*35 (most likely HLA-A*24:02 and HLA-B*35:05) and HLA-DRB1*04:03 and HLA-DQB1*03:02 are shared both by Wayu and other Amerindians and Pacific Islanders in specific high frequency. Our findings further suggest a genetic relationship between Amerindians (also Wiwa/Arsario and Chimila from Colombia; Uros from Peru) and Pacific Islanders. Titikaka Lake (Peru/Bolivia) Amerindians (Aymara, Uros and Quechua) share also cultural traits, like Tiwanaku (Titikaka Culture giant statues) and Easter Island Culture giant statues or “Moais”.     

Study of HLA genes in Mexico Mayo/Yoremes Amerindians: Further support of gene exchange with Pacific Islanders

Mexican Mayo Amerindians live in southern Sonora and North Sinaloa states. They probably come from North or are related to First American Inhabitants established further North. A non-related sample of them have volunteered to HLA study in order to achieve a profile useful for their epidemiology and future transplant interstate programs, in addition to ascertain ancestry and anthropological studies. HLA typing was carried out by a standard methodology. HLA-B*48 allele(s) was found, which is characteristic of Pacific Amerindians and Pacific Islanders/southern Asians. Also, HLA-A*24 (most likely HLA-A*24:02) shows specific high frequencies in this population and also in indigenous people, like Aleuts, Alaska Yupik, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, southern China and other Pacific Islands. Other Andean Amerindians also show a high HLA-A*24:02 frequencies. This confirms our previous results of a possible direct gene flow between Pacific Islanders/southern Asians and Amerindians.In addition, typical Amerindian haplotypes have been found in high frequency like HLA-A*24-B*39-DRB1*04:07-DQB1*03:02, HLA-A*02-B*35-DRB1*04:07-DQB1*03:02 and HLA-A*24-B*35-DRB1*04:07-DQB1*03:02, and new haplotypes are also described like HLA-A*02-B*35-DRB1*14:06-DQB1*03:01, HLA-A*02-B*48-DRB1*04:04-DQB1*03:02, and HLA-A*02-B*08-DRB1*04:07-DQB1*03:02. This study also supports that Americas peopling was not only carried out through Bering Strait but also through Pacific and Atlantic Oceans in an earlier time than proposed.