Polymorphism of six loci in major histocompatibility complex class I region of Indonesian javanese and comparative assessment of the POALINs with Arab Bedouin population

[Truncated abstract] Backgrounds: The settlement of the ethnic groups in Indonesia involved several waves of human migration and subsequent colonization. Explorers from the East and West, who were motivated by trade, migrated towards the Malay and Indonesia archipelago. During that period, philosophy, theology and knowledge were spread throughout the region. This included the spread of Islam from its birthplace in Arabian Peninsula, and had made one of the most dramatic social and cultural changes in Indonesia's history. As traders sailed to the Straits of Malacca, many Indonesian and Malaysian ports were established on the route. As some traders settled in the archipelago, genetic sequences were thought to be deposited. Consequently, relationships between Indonesia populations with the Arab traders could therefore be reasonably expected. In this study, the possible genetic relationship between Indonesia Javanese and Arab Bedouin were examined. Specifically, polymorphism at HLA-A, HLA-B, and four Alu Insertions (POALINs) in the MHC were studied. Alleles of 6 MHC class I loci were analyzed in the Javanese, and their frequencies and distribution were compared to the results obtained from the Arab Bedouin. The aim of the study was to elucidate the genetic relationship (if any) between these two populations separated by distance but linked through historical trading activities and a common faith. Methods: The HLA-A and HLA-B alleles, assigned by Sequence Based Typing, were obtained from DNA samples of 100 Javanese individuals. The polymorphism of Alu insertions (POALINs), assigned by a PCR-based method using specific primers, were also obtained from 100 Javanese DNA samples. Specific primers were designed based on previous population studies using the Alu elements as the genetic marker...