HLA-D typing of heterozygotes using restriction fragment length polymorphism in the HLA-DQ gene region on the basis of standard band patterns derived from HLA homozygotes.

Genomic DNAs from 37 Epstein-Barr virus-transformed HLA-D homozygous cell lines with different Dw specificities, Dw1-Dw23, and DKT2 were digested with four different restriction endonucleases (EcoRI, PstI, TaqI, and MspI) and hybridized to DQ alpha and DQ beta cDNA probes. Polymorphic patterns of multiple fragments correlating with Dw, DQ, and DR haplotypes were detected, and the restriction fragment length polymorphism standard pattern specific for each Dw, DQ, and DR specificity could be defined. The polymorphic fragment patterns of HLA-D heterozygotes were predicted simply by the summation of two standard patterns of HLA-D homozygotes and utilized to identify HLA-D specificities of 25 normal individuals, who are HLA heterozygotes in most cases. The HLA-D, -DR, and -DQ specificities defined by this DNA typing were compared with those assigned by serologic and cellular typing. There was good correlation, allowing the application of accurate genotyping by DQ alpha and DQ beta cDNA probes to HLA class II typing of HLA heterozygotes.