HLA profile of three ethnic groups living in the North-Western region of Russia.

HLA class II alleles were determined by PCR-SSO and PCR-SSP typing of DNA samples from 55 Nentsy, 81 Saami and 73 Pomor individuals from the North-European part of Russia. The results were compared with similar data from Russians. A high frequency of the DRB1*04-DQA1*0301-DQB1*0302 haplotype and a low frequency of the DRB1*11-DQA1*0501-DQB1*0301 haplotype, observed in all three ethnic groups, may indicate a common aboriginal component in their ancestry. Saami and Pomors displayed a similar pattern of allele and haplotype distribution, with the exception of the DRB1*04-DQA1*0304-DQB1*0301 haplotype, which was significantly higher among Saami compared Nentsy, Pomors and Russians. Nentsy individuals had a particularly high frequency of the DRB1*09-DQA1*0301-DQB1*0303 and the DRB1*12-DQA1*0501-DQB1*0301 haplotypes. Genetic distances and correspondence analysis show that Pomors have a close relationship with Norwegians and Finns, whereas Nentsy and Saami are more closely related to Oriental populations.