HLA alleles and haplotypes in Sudanese population and their relationship with Mediterraneans

The contribution of migrated people from once green Sahara (about 10,000-6000 years BC) towards Mediterranean area had probably a double effect: both genetic and cultural connections have been described between Western Europe and North Africa. Sudanese populations from different ethnicities have been studied for HLA-A, -B, -DRB1 and -DQB1 antigens by a standard microlymphotoxicity method. Results found show that Nubians are genetically related with African Sub-Saharan populations and distant from other Sudanese tribes, who are closer to Mediterranean populations than to Sub-Saharan ones. This is concordant with other authors and meta-analysis data. Our present work is, to our knowledge, the first and only one HLA research that studies Sudanese people according to different Sudan ethnic groups: samples were collected before Sudan partition between North and South. A prehistoric genetic and peoples exchange between Africa and the Mediterranean basin may be observed and is supported with the results obtained in this Sudanese HLA study. However, demic diffusion model of agriculture and other anthropological traits from Middle East to West Europe/Maghreb do not exist: a more detailed Sahel and North African countries ancient and recent admixture studies are also being carried out which may clearer explain pastoralists/agriculture innovations origins in Eurafrican Mediterranean and Atlantic façade.

Evolution and molecular interactions of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-G, -E and -F genes

Classical HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) is the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) in man. HLA genes and disease association has been studied at least since 1967 and no firm pathogenic mechanisms have been established yet. HLA-G immune modulation gene (and also -E and -F) are starting the same arduous way: statistics and allele association are the trending subjects with the same few results obtained by HLA classical genes, i.e., no pathogenesis may be discovered after many years of a great amount of researchers’ effort. Thus, we believe that it is necessary to follow different research methodologies: (1) to approach this problem, based on how evolution has worked maintaining together a cluster of immune-related genes (the MHC) in a relatively short chromosome area since amniotes to human at least, i.e., immune regulatory genes (MHC-G, -E and -F), adaptive immune classical class I and II genes, non-adaptive immune genes like (C2, C4 and Bf) (2); in addition to using new in vitro models which explain pathogenetics of HLA and disease associations. In fact, this evolution may be quite reliably studied during about 40 million years by analyzing the evolution of MHC-G, -E, -F, and their receptors (KIR—killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor, NKG2—natural killer group 2-, or TCR-T-cell receptor—among others) in the primate evolutionary lineage, where orthology of these molecules is apparently established, although cladistic studies show that MHC-G and MHC-B genes are the ancestral class I genes, and that New World apes MHC-G is paralogous and not orthologous to all other apes and man MHC-G genes. In the present review, we outline past and possible future research topics: co-evolution of adaptive MHC classical (class I and II), non-adaptive (i.e., complement) and modulation (i.e., non-classical class I) immune genes may imply that the study of full or part of MHC haplotypes involving several loci/alleles instead of single alleles is important for uncovering HLA and disease pathogenesis. It would mainly apply to starting research on HLA-G extended haplotypes and disease association and not only using single HLA-G genetic markers.

HLA genetic study in Iran Saqqez-Baneh Kurds: no genetic trace of Aryan invasions in Anatolian Turks and Kurds is found

Kurds are living at Middle East region comprising several countries (38 million people) and also have emigrated to Asia, Europe and America. Kurds from Iran have been HLA typed in the present work from Saqqez and Baneh towns, Kordestan province, Iran. Origin of Kurds is considered autochthonous from Anatolia and surrounding mountains :they have been referred as "the mountain people" by classic Persian, Greek and Roman authors. Present day Turks are also autochthonous from Anatolia, but they were not recognized by classical authors as living in the mountains and they speak a language of Asian origin that was imposed to Anatolia by a "elite" invasion without a noticeable high Asian gene input. Most frequent class I and class II HLA alleles found in Iranian Kurds population are: HLA-A*24:02, A*02:01 and HLA-B*35:01, and HLA-DRB1*11:01, DRB1*03:02 and HLA-DQB1*03:01; also, most frequent HLA extended haplotypes from this Iran Kurdish sample are not shared with Iranians but with Mediterranean, Turkish and Caucasus people. This is confirmed by Neighbour-Joining and correspondence analysis studied together with the corresponding populations. Finally, our studies show that both Kurds and Turks are genetically original from Anatolian Peninsula and surrounding countries and that an apparent Asian genetic or Aryan invasion does not exist in the area.

The Iberian-Tartessian semi-syllabary: possible evolution from Lineal Megalithic/Paleolithic Scripts and the Mother Goddess Religion

Paleolithic/Neolithic (Megalithic) Lineal Scripts have been found in big or small rocks with or without megalithic context. Huelva (South West Spain) megalithic rocks presented engraved signs apparently contained in the Iberian-Tartessian semi-syllabary and this region is in the core of Tartessian civilization. Iberian-Tartessian scripts have been found in South West Algeria, Canary Islands and Iberia. The genesis of this type of writing may have more ancient roots than established (1st Century BC) as Strabo stated that it may be thousands of years older. The finding of the same Iberian-Tartessian signs within such a big geographic area supports that demic diffusion substitution either from East Mediterranean or Russian steppes is not found in Iberia according to physical anthropology traits and also genetic studies from different research groups from different countries: Iberians, North Africans and Canary Islanders are genetically close supporting prehistorical contacts also sustained by Sahara Desert rapid desiccation followed by people migration. On the other hand, it is difficult to understand Paleolithic /Neolithic-Megalithic Lineal rock inscriptions continuity in such a long period without a known language, considered identical or related to Iberian, or political unit unless Basque language, or similar one, was present in Paleolithic time, as suggested by some authors. Paleolithic Lineal scripts have also been found in Java (Indonesia) and South Africa. It is feasible that worldwide Mother Goddess religion which extended since Paleolithic to Neolithic/Megalithic times may be the one common certain and documented character available to blame of such a surprising unity and continuity of rock lineal engravings.

HLA alleles and haplotypes in Iran Tabriz Azeris population: genes and languages do not correlate

Azeri people are at present day mainly living in an area which comprises North (Azerbaijan) and South (Azeri Iran provinces) parts, living the biggest population in Azeri Iran provinces with about 17-20 million people. They were studied HLA-A, -B, -DRB1 and -DQB1 allele and extended haplotype frequencies in unrelated Iranian Tabriz Azeris from a rural area close to Tabriz City. The HLA extended haplotypes with highest frequencies are: 1) HLA- A*24:02-B*35:01-DRB1*11:01-DQB1*03:01, shared with Mediterraneans and southern Russians (Chuvash, which also show Mediterranean characters); and 2) HLA-A*01:02-B*08:01-DRB1*03:01-DQB1*02:01, found also in Chuvash and other Azeri samples from Tabriz. Neí's DA HLA-DRB1 genetic distances, HLA-DRB1 Neighbour-Joining dendrogram and Vista analyses show that population with closest distance is Kurdish, followed by Iranian Gorgan and Southern Russia/ North Caucasus Chuvash; probably these latter groups and Azeris were populating North Mesopotamia/ Caucasus Mts. since prehistoric times. Kurds (in Iraq and Iran) do not speak Turk while Azeris do: they are both genetically close, but they are not genetically close to present day Anatolia (Turkey) Turks who also speak Turk language and show a typical Mediterranean HLA profile. In summary, Azeri population studies show examples that genes and languages do not correlate, contradicting the postulate asserted by others.

HLA-G: Too Much or Too Little? Role in Cancer and Autoimmune Disease

HLA-G is a non-classical HLA class I molecule with immunomodulatory properties. It was initially described at the maternal-fetal interface, and it was later found that this molecule was constitutively expressed on certain immuneprivileged tissues, such as cornea, endothelial and erythroid precursors, and thymus. The immunosuppressive effect of HLA-G is exerted through the interaction with its cognate receptors, expressed on immunocompetent cells, like ILT2, expressed on NK, B, T cells and APCs; ILT4, on APCs; KIR, found on the surface of NK cells; and finally, the co-receptor CD8. Because of these immunomodulatory functions, HLA-G has been involved in several processes, amongst which organ transplantation, viral infections, cancer progression, and autoimmunity. HLA-G neo-expression on tumors has been recently described in several types of malignancies. In fact, tumor progression is tightly linked to the presence of the molecule, as it exerts its tolerogenic function, inhibiting the cells of the immune system and favoring tumor escape. Several polymorphisms in the 3’UTR region condition changes in HLA-G expression (14bp and +3142C/G, among others), which have been associated with both the development and outcome of patients with different tumor types. Also, in recent years, several studies have shown that HLA-G plays an important role in the control of autoimmune diseases. The ability of HLA-G to limit the progression of these diseases has been confirmed and, in fact, levels of the molecule and several of its polymorphisms have been associated with increased susceptibility to the development of autoimmune diseases, as well as increased disease severity. Thus, modulating HLA-G expression in target tissues of oncology patients or patients with autoimmune diseases may be potential therapeutic approaches to treat these pathological conditions.

The Saharo-Canarian Circle: The forgotten Prehistory of Euro African Atlantic façade and its lack of eastern demic diffusion evidences

Canarians, North Africans and Iberians show a close genetic relatedness. Greeks have a Sub-Saharan gene input according to HLA and other autosomic markers. Also, there is a genetic kinship between both Atlantic Euro Africans and North African/Arabic people. This is concordant with a drying humid Sahara Desert, which may have occurred about 6,000 years BC, and the subsequent northwards emigration of Saharan people may have also happened in Pharaonic times. This genetic input into Atlantic and Mediterranean Europe/Africa is also supported with Lineal Megalithic Scripts in Canary Islands (as well as in Iberia) together with simple Iberian semi-syllabary rock inscriptions both at Canary Islands and Ti-m Missaou (Algeria, Central southern Sahara). Lineal African/European scripts are found in certain languages scripts like Berber/Tuareg, Iberian, Runes, Etruscan, Bulgarian (Sitovo and Gradeshnitza, 6,000 years BP), Italian Old Scripts (Lepontic, Venetic, Raetic), Minoan Lineal A and Vinca scripts (Romania, Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria, about 4,000 years BP). The possibility that Megalithic Lineal Scripts have given rise to these languages lineal writing is feasible because admixture of languages rock scripts and Megalithic Lineal Scripts have been found. Thus, resistance of Canarian aborigines (Guanches) to Carthage, Rome and Arabs left a bulk of Canarian-Saharan information which is used to study both Saharan and Canarian Prehistory, and also Atlantic and Mediterranean beginning of European and other civilizations: this preserved prehistoric inheritance may be named the “Saharo-Canarian Circle” of prehistoric knowledge. Also, linguistics-epigraphy, physical anthropology, archaeology, and domesticated cattle shows a close North Africa-Iberia Mesolithic/Neolithic relationship and demonstrates that the demic diffusion model does not exist in Iberia. Also, Tassili Sahara paintings of domesticated cattle appear 1,000 years before those agricultural practices started at Middle East. Finally, it is also inferred that circum-Mediterranean contacts during thousand years between ice and desert constructed Mediterranean cultures from Canary Islands to Ancient Great Persia and this is the origin of Classical Mediterranean cultures that was later exclusively attributed to Rome and Greece.

HLA-G in Mayas from Yucatan: An evolutionary approach

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*01:01:02, HLA-G*01:01:01 and HLA-G*01:04:01 are the most frequent alleles in this population. It is remarkable that HLA-G*01:05N allele was not found in the population in accordance with similar results found in another Amerindians. Also, protein allele HLA-G*01:04 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*01:05N 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.