ABSTRACT
Background: HLA is the mast highly polymorphic gene system in the human body and hence in the population, whether they are ethmic [Caucasoid, Orientals and Negros] or their religions [Muslims, Christians and Jewish]. This extensive polymorphism of HLA genes therefore make it very unlikely that two random individuals will express identical set of HLA molecules. Iraq is one of the countries that had many ethmic group like Arab Muslims and Arab Christians who lived many provinces. HLA study of these two groups was important for determining the heterogeneity in Iraqi people
Aim of Study: estimating the gene frequency of HLA class I [A. B, Cw] alleles in Iraqi Arab Muslims and Arab Christians and determine the genetic differences between them
Materials and Methods: a total of unrelated 1400 Iraqi Arab Muslims [AN and 568 Arab Christians [AC] healthy volunteers and individuals referred to Immunology and Tissue Typing Center in Al-Karamah Teaching Hospital for organ transplantation and Forensic medicine] were examined for HLA polymorphism using complement dependent cytotoxicity test from June-2003 to April-2004
Results and conclusions: the phenotypes of HLA typing of Iraqi Arab Muslins [AND Arab Christians [AC] were in agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Regarding HLA class I [A and B loci], there was no significant differences between these groups. Lastly, there was a significant difference between them in HLA-Cw. This may be due to their inhabitants the same area in Iraq, and due to their sane origin as Arab race with mild differences due to outbreeding and migration. The effects of invaders and settlements from outside the country and intermixing with hen may play an important role in these differences