Probabilistic assessment of the degree of antigen sharing in couples with impaired reproductive performance.

Increased histocompatibility antigen sharing has been reported in couples experiencing recurrent infertility problems. Mathematical expressions describing the probability distribution of the number of antigens shared by randomly mating couples are derived for a single locus, two linked loci, and multiple independent systems. These theoretical frequencies are applied in concert with conventional statistical procedures to evaluate hypotheses concerning antigen distributions. Extensions for simultaneous consideration of other genetic systems are discussed.

HLA in two islands of French Polynesia.

The HLA-A, B, and C antigens of 243 individuals from two Polynesian islands, Maiao and Hiva Oa, have been characterized. 328 haplotypes were defined by family analysis. Most frequent antigens were A2, A11, Aw24, A26 , Aw34 ; Bw38, Bw39 , Bw48 , Bw55 , Bw56 , Bw60 ; Cwl, Cw3, and Cw4. Several other antigens were present at low frequency or were present on only one island. New variants of Bw22 and B40 were found. Despite an overall similarity in antigens of the two islands, the combination of HLA-A, B and C antigens on the haplotype were distinctive. Of 328 total haplotypes identified, 65 were unique. Thirteen of these (20%) were present on both islands. Twenty-eight (43%) were unique to Hiva Oa and 24 (37%) were unique to Maiao . Significant, positive linkage disequilibrium values (delta) for HLA-A, B and HLA-B, C antigens were also different for the two populations.

HLA-B15 association with erythema multiforme.

Erythema multiforme (EM) is a cutaneous reaction pattern which follows numerous infections, drugs, neoplastic and inflammatory disorders in some individuals. We undertook a prospective study of thirty-eight HLA specificities of the -A, -B, and -C series in 16 Caucasian patients with EM and in 140 local Caucasian controls. Seven of 16 patients (44%) with EM and 5 of 9 patients (55%) with EM following herpes simplex infections possessed the HLA-B15 antigen, compared to 7% of local controls and 11.6% of the 1980 WHO Workshop Caucasian controls. Both associations were highly significant (p = 0.0125 and p = 0.02) when corrected for 38 HLA antigens. This is the first reported HLA association for erythema multiforme, a disease which may be a host-specific immune response to various antigens, determined in part by genes linked to HLA-B15.

Lack of association between Alzheimer's disease and histocompatibility antigens.

The present report describes the distribution of histocompatibility antigens in 52 patients with Alzheimer's disease. No significant associations were observed between this illness and particular HLA types before or after statistical correction for multiple comparisons. These findings are discussed in terms of the difficulties inherent in the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and with regard to the choice of suitable control populations.

Studies of random Black and White populations in North Carolina: hla antigen profile.

As HLA testing is becoming a major vehicle for parentage determination with non-excluded, alleged fathers being compared to their racial peers, it is important to ensure that the population data used accurately reflect the genetic profile of the region from which the alleged fathers are drawn. This paper presents data on the HLA profile of Black and White residents of North Carolina. Significant differences were observed for certain antigens when the North Carolina data were compared to nationally derived population tables. Differences were observed for B7 (increase) and Bw16 (decrease) in Whites and A10 (decrease), B7 (increase) and Bw42 (decrease) in Blacks. Internal controls comparing the testing from the two participating centers showed complete agreement for White persons, but a significant difference for B5 between the two Black populations.

Statistical methods for studying homozygous typing cells of unknown specificity.

A situation can arise in D typing in which the HLA (A,B,C,D, or DR) specificities of the responders are known and the specificities of the HTC's are unknown. The most powerful and direct method of detecting association between the unknown stimulator (HTC) and any given HLA specificity is by comparing the observed double normalized values (DNV's) of individuals known to be positive for the specificity with the DNV's of negative individuals. This can be done by comparing the two groups with a Kolmogorov-Smirnov test (K-S test), an established statistical procedure for evaluating correlation between continuous variables, such as the DNV, and discrete variables (such as presence of D type). The application of the K-S test will generate as a "cutoff" value of point that maximizes the average of the frequencies of correct assignments in D positives and D negatives. We also propose an alternative method of computing the "r" value. We have analyzed 49 HTC's from the 8th International Workshop and present the association observed with the D and DR specificities.

HLA serum screening based on an heuristic solution of the set cover problem.

A computer program initially written by the Milwaukee Blood Bank has been modified to use a new algorithm for the assignment of HLA specificities to antisera. The assignment is based on the reactions of cells with known specificities. Specificities which are present only on cells which do not react are first ruled out. This step is followed by one or more steps in which the 'least reactive' specificities are ruled out. The rationale for the algorithm is discussed and an example is presented.