THE NOVEL HLA-DRB1-ASTERISK-0807 ALLELE IS PRESENT IN A CARIB AMERINDIAN POPULATION - THE YUCPA

Nucleotide sequences of five novel HLA-DRB108 alleles have been recen tly reported but their frequency in different populations is still unk nown. The presence of DRB108 variants among Carib-speaking Yucpa Amer indians of the Perija Range in the border between Colombia and Venezue la was tested by PCR-DNA typing. DRB10807 was the only DRB1*08 varian t found in this population with a frequency of 0.1250. Until very rece ntly, DRB10802 was the predominant DRB1*08 allele present among full- blooded Amerindians, but in the last 3 years DRB10804 has been found in 2 South American tribes and 0811 in 2 North American tribes. The d escription of a new functional DRB108 variant in Amerindians suggests that extensive gene polymorphism among Amerindians might not be limit ed to the HLA-B Class I locus.