HLA alleles in isolated populations from North Spain: Origin of the Basques and the ancient Iberians

Abstract

HLA-A, -B, -DRB1, -DQA1 and -DQB1 alleles have been studied in three relatively isolated populations of northern Spain from Cantabria ( Pas Valleys inhabitants or Pasiegos and Cabuernigos) and from the Basque Country (Arratia Valley inhabitants). These populations have been compared with neighbouring ones and other Mediterraneans by using neighbour-joining dendrograms and plane genetic distances.