Unusually high frequency MHC class I alleles in Mauritian origin cynomolgus macaques

J Immunol. 2005 Oct 15;175(8):5230-9. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.175.8.5230.

Abstract

Acute shortages of Indian origin Rhesus macaques significantly hinder HIV/AIDS research. Cellular immune responses are particularly difficult to study because only a subset of animals possess MHC class I (MHC I) alleles with defined peptide-binding specificities. To expand the pool of nonhuman primates suitable for studies of cellular immunity, we defined 66 MHC I alleles in Cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) of Chinese, Vietnamese, and Mauritian origin. Most MHC I alleles were found only in animals from a single geographic origin, suggesting that Cynomolgus macaques from different origins are not interchangeable in studies of cellular immunity. Animals from Mauritius may be particularly valuable because >50% of these Cynomolgus macaques share the MHC class I allele combination Mafa-B*430101, Mafa-B*440101, and Mafa-B*460101. The increased MHC I allele sharing of Mauritian origin Cynomolgus macaques may dramatically reduce the overall number of animals needed to study cellular immune responses in nonhuman primates while simultaneously reducing the confounding effects of genetic heterogeneity in HIV/AIDS research.

MeSH terms

  • Alleles*
  • Animals
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Gene Frequency
  • Genotype
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / biosynthesis
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / genetics*
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear
  • Macaca fascicularis / genetics*
  • Macaca fascicularis / immunology*
  • Mauritius

Substances

  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I