HLA-G in Mayas from Yucatan: An evolutionary approach.

ABSTRACT

HLA-G allele frequencies were studied in Yucatán (Mexico) Maya Amerindians by a direct exon DNA sequencing technique. It is described that Mayas are probably one of the first populations together with Olmecs that populated Meso America and that important HLA genetic differences between Mexican and Guatemalan Mayas support that Maya languages were imposed to several neighbouring Amerindian groups. HLA-G*010102, HLA-G*010101 and HLA-G*010401 are the most frequent alleles in this population. It is remarkable that HLA-G*0105N allele was not found in the population in accordance with similar results found in another Amerindians. Also, protein allele HLA-G*0104 frequency is found not to differ to those found in another far or close living Amerindians in contrast to other World populations. It seems that while high HLA-G*0105N frequency is found in Iran and Middle East populations, probably where this allele appeared within an ancestral HLA-A*19 group of alleles haplotype and it is maintained by unknown evolutionary forces, Amerindians do not have a high frequency because a founder effect or because required natural evolutionary forces do not exist in America. Finally, we believe useful to study HLA-G evolution for its physiopathology understanding in addition to the many papers on statistics on HLA-G and in vitro models that are yearly published.