Genetics of Mexico Jamiltepec Oaxaca Mixtec Amerindians according to HLA genes.

Mexican Mixtec population from coastal Jamiltepec (Oaxaca) Amerindians was studied for its HLA profile. They show genetic characteristics close to Pacific Islanders and other Mexican Isthmus Amerindians (Mazatecans, Zapotecans and Mayas). Interestingly, this coastal Oaxaca Mixtec population is genetically closer to Mazatecans than to Oaxaca Mixtec from mountains according to HLA genes. Mixtec HLA frequent extended haplotype A*24:02-B*35:14-DRB1*16:02 has been also found in Jaidukama North Colombia forest Amerindians and in Guatemala Mayas; A*24:02, DRB1*04:03, DRB1*04:04 and DRB2*16:02 are frequent alleles also common to Pacific Inhabitants. Notwithstanding, Mixtecs show deep cultural and genetic roots with Mesoamerican Amerindians and all of them probably contributed to construct Monte Alban culture around an important Pyramid Complex close to Oaxaca City.

Study of HLA genes in Mexico Mayo/Yoremes Amerindians: Further support of gene exchange with Pacific Islanders.

Mexican Mayo Amerindians live in southern Sonora and North Sinaloa states. They probably come from North or are related to First American Inhabitants established further North. A non-related sample of them have volunteered to HLA study in order to achieve a profile useful for their epidemiology and future transplant interstate programs, in addition to ascertain ancestry and anthropological studies. HLA typing was carried out by a standard methodology. HLA-B*48 allele(s) was found, which is characteristic of Pacific Amerindians and Pacific Islanders/southern Asians. Also, HLA-A*24 (most likely HLA-A*24:02) shows specific high frequencies in this population and also in indigenous people, like Aleuts, Alaska Yupik, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, southern China and other Pacific Islands. Other Andean Amerindians also show a high HLA-A*24:02 frequencies. This confirms our previous results of a possible direct gene flow between Pacific Islanders/southern Asians and Amerindians. In addition, typical Amerindian haplotypes have been found in high frequency like HLA-A*24-B*39-DRB1*04:07-DQB1*03:02, HLA-A*02-B*35-DRB1*04:07-DQB1*03:02 and HLA-A*24-B*35-DRB1*04:07-DQB1*03:02, and new haplotypes are also described like HLA-A*02-B*35-DRB1*14:06-DQB1*03:01, HLA-A*02-B*48-DRB1*04:04-DQB1*03:02, and HLA-A*02-B*08-DRB1*04:07-DQB1*03:02. This study also supports that Americas peopling was not only carried out through Bering Strait but also through Pacific and Atlantic Oceans in an earlier time than proposed.

HLA in North Colombia Chimila Amerindians.

HLA-A,-B,-C,-DRB1 and -DQB1 alleles have been studied in Chimila Amerindians from Sabana de San Angel (North Colombian Coast) by using high resolution molecular typing. A frequent extended haplotype was found:HLA-A*24:02-B*51:10-C*15:02-BRB1*04:07-DQB1*03:02 (28.7%) which has also been described in Amerinndian Mayos Mexican population (Mexico, California Gulf, Pacific Ocean). Other haplotypes had already been found in Amerindians from Mexico (Pacific and Atlantic Coast), Peru (highlands and Amazon Basin), Bolivia and North USA. A geographic pattern according to HLA allele or haplotype frequencies is lacking in Amerindians, as already known. Also, five new extended haplotypes were found in Chimila Amerindians. Their HLA-A*24:02 high frequencies characteristic is shared with aboriginal populations of Taiwan; also, HLA-C*01:02 high frequencies are found in New Zealand Maoris, New Caledonians and Kimberly Aborigines from Australia. Finally, this study may show a model of evolutionary factors acting and rising one HLA allele frequency (-A*24:02), but not in others that belong to the same or different HLA loci.

HLA Genes in Mayos Population from Northeast Mexico.

HLA class I and class II alleles have been studied in 60 unrelated people belonging to Mayos ethnic group, which lives in the Mexican Pacific Sinaloa State. Mayos HLA profile was compared to other Amerindians and worldwide populations' profile. A total of 14,896 chromosomes were used for comparisons. Genetic distances between populations, Neigbour-Joining dendrograms and correspondence analyses were performed to determine the genetic relationship among population. The new specific Mayo HLA haplotypes found are: HLA-A*02-B*35-DRB1*1406-DQB1*0301; HLA-A*02-B*48-DRB1*0404-DQB1*0302; HLA-A*24-B*51-DRB1*0407-DQB1*0302 and HLA-A*02-B*08-DRB1*0407-DQB1*0302. However, the typical Meso American HLADRB1*0407 represents a 40% of all DRB1 alleles. While common HLA characteristics are found in Amerindian distant ethnic groups, still new group specific HLA haplotypes are being found, suggesting that a common founder effect (i.e. high DRB1*0407) is noticed. Moreover, new HLA haplotypes are almost certainly appearing along time probably due to specific pathogen (?) selection for diversity. Mayo language is close to the Tarahumara one (another geographically close group); notwithstanding both groups are not genetically close according to our results, showing again the different evolution of genes and languages, which do not correlate. Finally, Sinaloa is one of the Mexican States in which more European genes are found. However, the results presented in this paper, where no European HLA genes are seen in Mayos, should have a bearing in establishing transplant programs and in HLA and disease studies.