Abstract:
Aims: Interest in the importance of the HLA-DPB1 gene has increased lately, especially in transplantation outcomes in addition to other HLA CII molecules. This is the first study that assesses HLA-DPB1 typing among healthy Lebanese individuals. Methods: The HLA-DPB1 alleles were detected using the polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific priming method and our study included 130 individuals. HLA-DPB1 was determined in different ethnic groups and in relation to various clinical entities. Results: We compared our data with the existing literature and found an interesting similarity between the Lebanese and Greek populations with highly specific alleles not reported in other communities. Conclusion: Our study will form the basis for further research to study the correlation between HLA-DPB1 and various clinical entities as well as a primer study for other transplantation centers. © 2010, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.