DR3 Heterogeneity Recognized by HTC and Alloproliferative T Cell Clones

摘要

POLYMORPHISM IS A hallmark of histocompatibility antigens, the extent of which can be expanded by analysis in different ethnic populations. Blacks, in general, and American blacks, in particular, have been studied less rigorously for HLA polymorphisms than either white or Oriental populations. Our laboratory recently extensively characterized the HLA complex in American blacks, focusing on the HLA-D region. Several notable features underline the uniqueness and value in studying this population group: (1) unique and/or variant specificities; (2) unusual combinations of specificities on a haplotype not observed in nonblack populations; and (3) presence of a high frequency of undefined HLA-D specificities. Most striking is the heterogeneity of DR3, previously thought to be relatively homogeneous. This report summarizes the DR3 heterogeneity as revealed by HTC and alloproliferative T cell clones.