Origin and dynamics of admixture in Brazilians and its effect on the pattern of deleterious mutations.

While South Americans are underrepresented in human genomic diversity studies, Brazil has been a classical model for population genetics studies on admixture. We present the results of the EPIGEN Brazil Initiative, the most comprehensive up-to-date genomic analysis of any Latin-American population. A population-based genome-wide analysis of 6,487 individuals was performed in the context of worldwide genomic diversity to elucidate how ancestry, kinship, and inbreeding interact in three populations with different histories from the Northeast (African ancestry: 50%), Southeast, and South (both with European ancestry >70%) of Brazil. We showed that ancestry-positive assortative mating permeated Brazilian history. We traced European ancestry in the Southeast/South to a wider European/Middle Eastern region with respect to the Northeast, where ancestry seems restricted to Iberia. By developing an approximate Bayesian computation framework, we infer more recent European immigration to the Southeast/South than to the Northeast. Also, the observed low Native-American ancestry (6-8%) was mostly introduced in different regions of Brazil soon after the European Conquest. We broadened our understanding of the African diaspora, the major destination of which was Brazil, by revealing that Brazilians display two within-Africa ancestry components: one associated with non-Bantu/western Africans (more evident in the Northeast and African Americans) and one associated with Bantu/eastern Africans (more present in the Southeast/South). Furthermore, the whole-genome analysis of 30 individuals (42-fold deep coverage) shows that continental admixture rather than local post-Columbian history is the main and complex determinant of the individual amount of deleterious genotypes.

BAFF Expression is Modulated by Female Hormones in Human Immune Cells.

Among several autoimmune diseases, one of the main risk factors is the female gender, and much consideration has been given to the involvement of female hormones in their etiology. B-cell activating factor (BAFF) is a key factor in survival and maturation of B cells and is overexpressed in several autoimmune patients although the mechanism behind this feature is unclear. In murine models, BAFF expression could be upregulated by exogenous estrogen treatment in splenocytes; however, no evidence of this relationship was available in humans. Here, leukocytes from healthy male and female individuals were collected and cultivated in the presence or absence of estrogen or progesterone. BAFF gene expression was accessed by quantitative PCR and compared between treated and untreated group of cells. In the presence of estrogen, BAFF expression was upregulated by more than 5 times in both genders. When exposed to progesterone, the female-originated cells showed increased expression, while the cells of male origin a significant downregulation of BAFF. Our results suggest that female hormones can modulate the expression of BAFF, a key cytokine in autoimmune pathways, in human immune cells. These data might contribute to the understanding of the etiology as well as the gender bias featured by several autoimmune disorders.

Y-linked microsatellites in Amazonian Amerindians applied to ancestry estimates in Brazilian Afro-derived populations.

OBJECTIVES: Proper ancestral populations are required to determine accurate ancestry estimates for Afro-derived Brazilian populations. Herein, we have genotyped Y-STRs in Amazonian Amerindians to determine the ancestral contribution in quilombo remnant communities. METHODS: The frequencies for five Y-chromosome linked microsatellites (DYS19, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, and DYS393) were characterized in four Amerindian tribes from Brazilian Amazon (Tikúna, Baníwa, Kashinawa, and Kanamarí), and in four quilombo remnants (Mimbó, Sítio Velho, Gaucinha, and São Gonçalo) and two urban populations (Teresina and Jequié) from Northeastern Brazil. We then estimated the male genetic ancestry in each admixed population. Moreover, we performed analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), FST , haplotype diversity, and principal component analysis. RESULTS: Lower haplotype diversity (h) values were observed for Tikúna compared with other tribes. Quilombo remnants exhibited higher h levels ranging from 0.893 ± 0.027 in Sítio Velho to 0.963 ± 0.033 in São Gonçalo. African ancestry estimates ranged from 0.529 ± 0.027 in Mimbó to 0.602 ± 0.086 in Sítio Velho. Conversely, European contribution was 0.795 ± 0.045 in Teresina and 0.826 ± 0.040 in Jequié. CONCLUSIONS: FST and principal component analysis indicate homogeneity in the male genetic constitution among the quilombo remnants analyzed. Data on Amerindians allowed accurate ancestry estimates, which indicated a higher African contribution, followed by a considerable European contribution for these quilombo remnants.

HLA-G genetic diversity and evolutive aspects in worldwide populations.

HLA-G is a promiscuous immune checkpoint molecule. The HLA-G gene presents substantial nucleotide variability in its regulatory regions. However, it encodes a limited number of proteins compared to classical HLA class I genes. We characterized the HLA-G genetic variability in 4640 individuals from 88 different population samples across the globe by using a state-of-the-art method to characterize polymorphisms and haplotypes from high-coverage next-generation sequencing data. We also provide insights regarding the HLA-G genetic diversity and a resource for future studies evaluating HLA-G polymorphisms in different populations and association studies. Despite the great haplotype variability, we demonstrated that: (1) most of the HLA-G polymorphisms are in introns and regulatory sequences, and these are the sites with evidence of balancing selection, (2) linkage disequilibrium is high throughout the gene, extending up to HLA-A, (3) there are few proteins frequently observed in worldwide populations, with lack of variation in residues associated with major HLA-G biological properties (dimer formation, interaction with leukocyte receptors). These observations corroborate the role of HLA-G as an immune checkpoint molecule rather than as an antigen-presenting molecule. Understanding HLA-G variability across populations is relevant for disease association and functional studies.

Y-chromosome STR haplotypes in a sample from São Paulo State, southeastern Brazil.

POPULATION: Unrelated males from the São Paulo State, Brazil (n=617).

Polymorphic sites at the 3' untranslated region of the HLA-G gene are associated with differential hla-g soluble levels in the Brazilian and French population.

HLA-G molecule has well-recognized tolerogenic properties, and the encoding gene shows lower frequency of polymorphism at the coding region but higher variability at regulatory 5' and 3' untranslated (3'UTR) regions. At least three 3'UTR polymorphic sites have been associated with HLA-G mRNA regulation, including the 14 base pair (14bp) Insertion/Deletion, +3142C-G and +3187A-G. We studied the association of polymorphic sites at 3'UTR (sequencing analysis, encompassing the 14bp Ins-Del/+3003T-C/+3010C-G/+3027C-A/+3035C-T/+3142C-G/+3187A-G/+3196C-G polymorphic sites) with plasma soluble HLA-G levels (sHLA-G, detected by ELISA) in 187 French and 153 Brazilian healthy individuals. Allele and genotype frequencies were closely similar in both populations; however, Brazilians showed a higher HLA-G 3'UTR haplotype diversity. Considering sHLA-G levels in both populations altogether, individuals presenting 14bp Del/Del showed higher levels compared to 14bpIns/Ins genotype (P <0.05); those presenting +3010C/G showed higher levels compared to the +3010C-C genotype (P< 0.05); those presenting +3027C-C showed higher levels than the +3027A-A genotype (P< 0.05); and those bearing +3035C-C showed higher levels compared to the +3035C-T (P < 0.01) and +3035T-T (P < 0.05) genotypes. The analyses of 3'UTR haplotypes showed that UTR-1 (DelTGCCCGC) was associated with higher expression of sHLA-G, whereas UTR-5 (InsTCCTGAC) and UTR-7 (InsTCATGAC) with lower expression and other UTRs (UTR-2/3/4/6) exhibited intermediate levels. Since the differential expression of HLA-G may be beneficial or harmful depending on the underlying condition, the identification of individuals genetically programmed to differentially express HLA-G may help on defining novel strategies to control the immune response against the underlying disorder.

HLA-G 3'UTR polymorphisms in high grade and invasive cervico-vaginal cancer.

Besides HPV infection, the progression to cervical cancer also depends on the host immune response. HLA-G molecules are involved in the inhibition of cell-mediated immune responses and may permit the development of an infection in the female cervical tract. The aim of this study was to explore the possible influence of the two HLA-G polymorphisms located on the 3'UTR on the susceptibility to cervical cancer and risk factors in Brazilian patients. Polymorphism analysis (14 bp In/Del and +3142C/G) was performed by PCR. A total of 105 cervical samples were tested, 50 without lesions and 55 with lesions; 22 with high grade (HSIL) and 33 with invasive cancer (ICC). The polymorphisms (∗)Del/Del was associated with a decreased risk of developing ICC in smokers and (∗)In and (∗)In/In were associated with an increased risk of HSIL and a higher risk of ICC in smokers. The genotype (∗)In/Del was associated with the increased risk of HSIL only among women with a family history of cancer. The haplotypes (∗)In/G and (∗)Del/G were associated with increased and decreased risk of HSIL and cervical cancer, respectively. In conclusion, the 3'UTR of HLA-G is associated with an increased risk of developing cervical cancer, especially in smokers.

Demographic and genetic structures of two partially isolated communities of Santa Catarina Island, southern Brazil.

The objectives of this study were to analyze the population structure and genetic variability of two communities, Costa da Lagoa (CLG) and São João do Rio Vermelho (SJRV), located on Santa Catarina Island in southern Brazil. The two populations descend from Azores Archipelago immigrants (Portuguese), with a minor contribution of sub-Saharan Africans and Amerindians. To estimate the relative contribution of the different ethnic groups to the current gene pool of the two communities, values of admixture were obtained using the weighted least-squares method based on allelic frequencies of the loci ABO, RHD-RHCE, GPA-GPB (MNSs), HBB, HP, TF, CP, AK, and ACP1. The origins of the studied populations can be quantified as follows: for CLG, sub-Saharan Africans (A) = 17.3%, Iberian Europeans (P) = 75.0%, and Southern Amerindians (I) = 7.7%; for SJRV, A = 48.8%, P = 44.5%, and I = 6.7%. Because haplotype frequencies of the GPA-GPB loci in SJRV were unusual, possibly as a consequence of random genetic drift, the values of admixture were recalculated after exclusion of GPA-GPB, as follows: A = 28.0%; P = 53.3%, and I = 18.7%. The total diversity (HT) was estimated as 42.29%, of which 99.6% can be attributed to the intrapopulational variability (HS). The interpopulational genetic variation (or standard distance, DST) corresponds to 0.19%, while the gene differentiation coefficient is 0.28%, indicative of low genetic difference. These results led to the conclusion that random genetic drift may have had an important effect on the Costa da Lagoa community, while presently gene flow might be the predominant evolutionary factor potentially capable of changing allele frequencies in SJRV.