HLA-C allele recognition using DNA sequencing.

The HLA-C locus was sequenced in 106 normal unrelated members of the French CEPH families. Following generic PCR amplification, exons 2 and 3 were amp lified separately then sequenced using the ALF Expres(TM) sequencer. The Se qui Type(TM) program was used for data analysis. Of the 72 alleles identifi ed to date, 20 were recognized in the panel studied. Results were compared to those provided by the lymphocytotoxicity test, which had a 13.5 % error rate and failed to reach the level of specific recognition. Sequencing prec eded by amplification allowed immediate unambiguous allele assignment in 96 % of cases. In four cases, a complementary method was required to resolve ambiguities. Reproducibility was high. The sequencing strategy described he rein is a significant advance and may be particularly valuable for achievin g perfect donor/recipient matching for allogeneic stem cell transplants.