An intronic mutation responsible for a low level of expression of an HLA-A*24 allele

HLA class I typing performed in parallel by molecular biology and serology has revealed cases where an HLA class I allele was identified but the corresponding antigen on the cell surface was not detected. In the present report, we describe three members of a family in whom an HLA-A24 allele identified at the molecular level was typed as A "blank" by lymphocytotoxicity. This serologically blank antigen was nevertheless faintly detectable by isoelectric focusing (IEF) and FACS analyses. Sequencing of the HLA-A*24 allele from the promoter region to the eighth exonic region revealed a point mutation in the acceptor site of the second intron as compared to the normal HLA-A*24 allele. This mutation could lead to incorrect processing of mRNA through a cryptic acceptor site located at the beginning of the third exon and hence to alternative splicing with a frame shift introducing an early stop codon into the fourth exon.     

A null HLA-A*68 allele in a bone marrow donor

The authors describe an A*68 allele present at the molecular level but not expressed at the cell surface. This non expression results from the deletion of one nucleotide in exon 1, which causes a shift of the reading frame leading to an early non-sense codon in the same exon.     

A nucleotide deletion in exon 4 is responsible for an HLA-A null allele (A*0105N)

We report herein the identification of a new HLA-A null allele. This allele, A*0105N, was detected during histocompatibility testing of a cord blood donor and the respective mother. Serologic typing results contrasted those obtained with DNA typing that alone showed the presence of HLA-A*01. ThisA*0105N was due to a nucleotide deletion in exon 4 that altered the reading frame, causing a premature termination.     

A "silent" nucleotide substitution in exon 4 is responsible for the "alternative expression" of HLA-A*01:01:38L through aberrant splicing

A Welsh Bone Marrow Donor Registry donor was serologically typed, using both alloantisera and monoclonal antibodies, as human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A2, A-, but typed by polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific priming as HLA-A*01, A*02. Full gene sequencing of the A*01 separated allele indicated an apparently normal A*01:01:01:01 apart from a silent change at nucleotide 705 in exon 4, codon 211 (alanine: normally GCG but GCA in this donor). Sequence analysis of the amplified A*01 allele in cDNA synthesized from RNA indicated that exons 1, 2, 3, and 5 had typical A*01:01 sequences. However, exon 4 was truncated in this allele (87 nucleotides shorter), beginning just after the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) identified in genomic DNA sequencing. The nucleotide sequence up to, and 1 nucleotide after, the SNP is homologous with the 3' end of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A intron 3 and thus resembles a splice site. However, a small amount of "normal" HLA-A1 was detected on the surface of cells from an Epstein-Barr virus transformed B-cell line (BCL), but not on peripheral blood mononuclear cells, by flow cytometry. Additionally, a trace amount of "normal sized" A*01 was amplified from cDNA. We suggest that in this A*01 variant allele (A*01:01:38L) intron 3 is largely spliced out with a part of exon 4; exon 4 is still in-frame but the protein is smaller than the wild type. This is likely to affect folding and assembly of the "wild type" mature protein on the cell surface, thus explaining the apparent null phenotype when assayed by conventional serology. However, a small amount of A1 protein is made from correctly spliced A*01 mRNA and is detectable on BCLs using flow cytometry.     

Identification of a novel HLA-A allele,HLA-A*01:195, in a UAE national

A novel human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-A allele, HLA-A*01:195, was identified by sequence-based typing (SBT) in a UAE national subject. The novel allele is identical to its closest known allele, HLA-A*01:01:01:01, in exon 2, 3 and 4, except for a single nucleotide mutation of A to G at position 442 in exon 3 (codon 124 in the α2 domain of the α chain of the mature protein). This A to G mutation results in an amino acid change of isoleucine #124 to valine.     

A new HLA-A*02 null allele, HLA-A*9213N

A novel HLA-A*02 null allele, differing from HLA-A*02010101 at codon 60 (TGG tryptophan-->TAG stop), is described.     

Identification of a novel HLA-A*24 allele, HLA-A*2467

In this report, we describe the identification of a novel human leukocyte antigen-A*24 (HLA-A*24) allele, designated HLA-A*2467. The new allele differs from the most closely related allele HLA-A*2408 at five nucleotide positions all located in exon 2. Four of the five nucleotide changes result in amino acid substitution.     

Novel HLA-A*11 allele, A*1120, identified by sequence-based typing

In this report, we describe the identification of a human leucocyte antigen-A*11 (HLA-A*11) nucleotide sequence variant, a new HLA-A*1120 by using sequence-based typing (SBT). The new allele was detected during routine HLA typing by high-resolution SBT. Allele A*1120 showed one nucleotide difference with A*110101 at codon 152 (GCG-->GAG) resulting in an amino acid change from alanine to glutamate. Residue 152 is located on alpha(2)-helix of HLA class I molecule and involved in peptide binding by constructing E pocket of peptide-binding groove, implying that the change of the residue 152 would affect the binding affinity of peptides to A*1120 allele.     

A novel HLA-A*33 (A*3309) allele in a Caucasian family that differs at protein position 66 from HLA-A*3308

A novel human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-A33 (HLA-A*3309) allele has been identified in a Caucasian family from Middle Europe using single allele-specific sequencing strategy. This allele is identical to the HLA-B*3308 allele except for one point mutation in exon 2 at codon 66 (AAA-->AAT), resulting in an amino acid change from lysine (K) to asparagine (N).     

Novel HLA-A*31 allele, A*3111 identified by sequence-based typing

In this report, we describe the identification of an HLA-A*31 nucleotide sequence variant, a new HLA-A*3111, in three members of a Korean family by using sequence-based typing (SBT). The new allele was detected during routine HLA typing by high-resolution SBT. Allele A*3111 showed one nucleotide difference with A*310102 at codon 165 (GTG-->CTG) resulting in an amino acid change from valine to leucine (V165L). Serologic reactivity was shorter than normally expected.     

Identification of a new HLA-A null allele,A*2436 N

We describe a new HLA-A null allele in a donor. This null allele resulted from the deletion of two nucleotides in exon 2, which effects a frameshift as well as a premature stop codon. This new null allele has been officially named HLA-A*2436 N.     

Identification of a novel allele HLA-A*9208 by sequence-based typing

A novel HLA-A*9208 allele was identified in a Chinese individual by polymerase chain reaction sequence-based typing.     

Identified a novel allele HLA-A*240212 by sequence-based typing

A novel human leukocyte antigen-A allele, A*240212, has been identified during routine sequence-specific oligonucleotide typing and sequence-based typing in a sample from a registered donor of Chinese Marrow Donor Program. The A*240212 allele differs from the most closely matching allele A*24020101 by one nucleotide substitution in Exon 2, at position 230, while the nucleotide exchange is silent mutation.     

Sequence analysis of the novel allele HLA-A*110106 in the Chinese population

A novel HLA-A*110106 allele was identified in the Chinese individual by polymerase chain reaction sequence-based typing.     

Identification of a new human leukocyte antigen A allele, HLA-A*3020

A new human leukocyte antigen (HLA) A allele, HLA-A*3020, was found during routine HLA genotyping by polymerase chain reaction–sequence specific oligonucleotide probes and sequencing-based typing. The A*3020 allele has one nucleotide change at position 294 of exon 2 from the closest matching allele A*300101, resulting in an amino acid change from D (GAC) to E (GAA) at codon 98.     

Identification of a novel allele HLA-A*9206 by sequence-based typing in the Chinese population

A novel human leukocyte antigen-A*9206 allele was identified by sequence-based typing in China.