The HLA class I polymorphism was studied in a sample of the Albanian popula
tion. Ninety-three unrelated healthy Albanians were typed for HLA-A, -B and
-Cw antigens by standard microlyphocytotoxicity test. The antigens with th
e highest frequencies were: HLA-A2 (34.4%), A3 (14.5%) and AI (12.4%); B51
(19.3%), B35 (12.4%) and B18 (10.2%); Cw4 (16.2%), Cw7 (16.2%) and Cw6 (10.
8%). The HLA haplotypes with high frequency in Albanians included A2-B51 (4
.3%), A2-B18 (2.4%), A2-B35 (2.4%), Cw4-B35 (7.6%), and Cw7-B18 (6.5%), whi
ch are not significantly different from the other neighboring populations.
Low frequency of HLA-A1-B8 haplotype (1.1%) is noted in the Albanian popula
tion. The frequency of HLA-B27 antigen (1.1%) is one of the lowest frequenc
ies observed in Caucasians. Such results are important in studies of HLA-A1
-B8, HLA-B27 and disease associations. These findings should be also useful
in understanding the origin of Albanians, representing a base for future s
tudies about HLA polymorphism in the Albanian population.