Age-dependent HLA profiles of the Israeli population: impact on hematopoietic cell donor recruitment and availability

Approximately three million people have immigrated to the state of Israel since it was founded. Consequently, the immunogenetic profile of the younger generation may consist of a genetic mixture of formerly distinct population groups. We aimed to investigate whether HLA profiles in the Israeli population are age dependent and how this influences representation of various age groups in local donor registries. We determined HLA-A*, HLA-B*, and HLA-DRB1* low-resolution phenotypes of three age groups ( n = 4,169 in each): (1) cord blood units collected between 2009 and 2013 (BABIES) and adult registry donors (2) aged 18–28 years (YOUNG) and (3) aged 49–60 years (OLD). We compared the results with virtual groups that simulate the offspring of the actual study groups. None of the three actual age groups were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The YOUNG presented four HLA-B alleles that were absent in the OLD and BABIES. A significantly higher percentage among the OLD and BABIES had a “matched” individual within their group in comparison to the YOUNG. In the YOUNG, the 10 most common haplotypes account for 16.7 % of the population, in comparison to 18.2 % in the OLD or 19.8 % in the BABIES group. The BABIES group was genetically remote from all other groups. Further disparities were found between the actual and the corresponding virtual groups. We conclude that discrete age groups in Israel present distinct immunogenetic profiles, where the younger generation is more heterogeneous. The population dynamics of the age-dependent HLA profile is multifactorial: gradual intersubgroup admixture, nonrandom mating, and entry of new alleles.