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Marzouka NAD, Alnaqbi H, Al-Aamri A, Tay G, Alsafar H. Investigating the genetic makeup of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in the United Arab Emirates population through next-generation sequencing. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3392. [PMID: 38337023 PMCID: PMC10858242 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53986-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules are central to immune response and have associations with the phenotypes of various diseases and induced drug toxicity. Further, the role of HLA molecules in presenting antigens significantly affects the transplantation outcome. The objective of this study was to examine the extent of the diversity of HLA alleles in the population of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) using Next-Generation Sequencing methodologies and encompassing a larger cohort of individuals. A cohort of 570 unrelated healthy citizens of the UAE volunteered to provide samples for Whole Genome Sequencing and Whole Exome Sequencing. The definition of the HLA alleles was achieved through the application of the bioinformatics tools, HLA-LA and xHLA. Subsequently, the findings from this study were compared with other local and international datasets. A broad range of HLA alleles in the UAE population, of which some were previously unreported, was identified. A comparison with other populations confirmed the current population's unique intertwined genetic heritage while highlighting similarities with populations from the Middle East region. Some disease-associated HLA alleles were detected at a frequency of > 5%, such as HLA-B*51:01, HLA-DRB1*03:01, HLA-DRB1*15:01, and HLA-DQB1*02:01. The increase in allele homozygosity, especially for HLA class I genes, was identified in samples with a higher level of genome-wide homozygosity. This highlights a possible effect of consanguinity on the HLA homozygosity. The HLA allele distribution in the UAE population showcases a unique profile, underscoring the need for tailored databases for traditional activities such as unrelated transplant matching and for newer initiatives in precision medicine based on specific populations. This research is part of a concerted effort to improve the knowledge base, particularly in the fields of transplant medicine and investigating disease associations as well as in understanding human migration patterns within the Arabian Peninsula and surrounding regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nour Al Dain Marzouka
- Center for Biotechnology, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Halima Alnaqbi
- Center for Biotechnology, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Amira Al-Aamri
- Center for Biotechnology, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Guan Tay
- Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Medical School, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
- School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia
| | - Habiba Alsafar
- Center for Biotechnology, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
- College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
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Alnaqbi H, Tay GK, Chehadeh SEH, Alsafar H. Characterizing the diversity of MHC conserved extended haplotypes using families from the United Arab Emirates. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7165. [PMID: 35504942 PMCID: PMC9065074 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11256-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Aside from its anthropological relevance, the characterization of the allele frequencies of genes in the human Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) and the combination of these alleles that make up MHC conserved extended haplotypes (CEHs) is necessary for histocompatibility matching in transplantation as well as mapping disease association loci. The structure and content of the MHC region in Middle Eastern populations remain poorly characterized, posing challenges when establishing disease association studies in ethnic groups that inhabit the region and reducing the capacity to translate genetic research into clinical practice. This study was conceived to address a gap of knowledge, aiming to characterize CEHs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) population through segregation analysis of high-resolution, pedigree-phased, MHC haplotypes derived from 41 families. Twenty per cent (20.5%) of the total haplotype pool derived from this study cohort were identified as putative CEHs in the UAE population. These consisted of CEHs that have been previously detected in other ethnic groups, including the South Asian CEH 8.2 [HLA- C*07:02-B*08:01-DRB1*03:01-DQA1*05:01-DQB1*02:01 (H.F. 0.094)] and the common East Asian CEH 58.1 [HLA- C*03:02-B*58:01-DRB1*03:01- DQA1*05:01-DQB1*02:01 (H.F. 0.024)]. Additionally, three novel CEHs were identified in the current cohort, including HLA- C*15:02-B*40:06-DRB1*16:02-DQB1*05:02 (H.F. 0.035), HLA- C*16:02-B*51:01-DRB1*16:01-DQA1*01:02-DQB1*05:02 (H.F. 0.029), and HLA- C*03:02-B*58:01-DRB1*16:01-DQA1*01:02-DQB1*05:02 (H.F. 0.024). Overall, the results indicate a substantial gene flow with neighbouring ethnic groups in the contemporary UAE population including South Asian, East Asian, African, and European populations. Importantly, alleles and haplotypes that have been previously associated with autoimmune diseases (e.g., Type 1 Diabetes) were also present. In this regard, this study emphasizes that an appreciation for ethnic differences can provide insights into subpopulation-specific disease-related polymorphisms, which has remained a difficult endeavour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halima Alnaqbi
- Center for Biotechnology, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, P.O. BOX 127788, Abu Dhabi, UAE.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Guan K Tay
- Center for Biotechnology, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, P.O. BOX 127788, Abu Dhabi, UAE.,Division of Psychiatry, UWA Medical School, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia
| | - Sarah El Hajj Chehadeh
- Center for Biotechnology, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, P.O. BOX 127788, Abu Dhabi, UAE.,Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Habiba Alsafar
- Center for Biotechnology, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, P.O. BOX 127788, Abu Dhabi, UAE. .,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. .,Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
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Genetic variation in progesterone receptor gene and ovarian cancer risk: A case control study. Gene X 2022; 820:146288. [PMID: 35143942 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies examined the association of genetic variation in progesterone receptor (PR) gene (PGR) with ovarian cancer, possibly by altering the expression of PR-B isoform, but with mixed outcome. OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the association of PGR variants with ovarian cancer and associated features. METHODS This was a retrospective case-control study, which involved 82 women with ovarian cancer and 95 cancer-free women who served as controls. Genotyping was done by Taqman® SNP genotyping by qRT-PCR. The PGR variants tested were rs471767 (A > G), rs590688 (G > C), and rs10895068 (G > A). Stratification analyses were used for testing the correlation between the PGR variants with ovarian cancer susceptibility according to menstruation status, FIGO classification, pathological grade, and chemotherapy. RESULTS Significantly lower minor allele frequency (MAF) of rs10895068 was seen among ovarian cancer patients, thereby imparting disease protective nature to this variant. Significant association of rs10895068 genotypes with ovarian cancer was seen under the dominant model, but not other genetic models. FIGO classification correlated positively with rs471767 and rs10895068, while rs10895068 correlated positively with lymph node positivity. Three-locus haplotype analysis identified ACA and HCG haplotypes to be negatively associated with the risk of ovarian cancer. CONCLUSIONS This report confirms the contribution of PGR variants, specifically the rs10895068 (+331G/A) the etiology of ovarian cancer.
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