Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE B
ISSN 1673-1581(Print), 1862-1783(Online), Monthly

2007   Vol. 8   No. 7   p. 512~514

Extremely high frequency of autoimmune-predisposing alleles in medieval specimens

WITAS H.W.^†, JĘDRYCHOWSKA-DAŃSKA K., ZAWICKI P.

(Department of Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lodz, Sporna 36/50, PL-91738 Lodz, Poland)
^†E-mail: witas@usk4.umed.lodz.pl
Received Mar. 3, 2007 revision accepted May 9, 2007

Abstract: The precise etiology and reasons for the increase in incidence of autoimmune disorders still remain unclear, and although both genetic and environmental factors have been proven to shape individual predisposition, it is not known which of the factors, if not both, is responsible for the boom observed during the last decades. In order to establish whether a higher frequency of autoimmune-predisposing alleles may explain this increase we took advantage of ancient DNA methodology to establish the genetic predisposition, conferred by cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen-4 (CTLA4) +49A/G and human leukocyte antigens (HLA) DQB1⁵⁷, in population inhabiting Poland in the Middle Ages. After successful typing of 42 individuals from a 12th~14th’s century archeological burial site, we found that frequencies of the predisposing alleles in the medieval population were higher than they are at present, suggesting thus that the recently observed incidence increase results most probably from factors of other than genetic nature.

Key words: Ancient DNA (aDNA), Autoimmunity, Cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen-4 (CTLA4) gene, HLA DQB1, Type 1 diabetes (T1D)
doi:10.1631/jzus.2007.B0512             CLC number: R392.13

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