Comparison of the frequencies of major histocompatibility (MHC) class-II DQA1 and DQB1 alleles in Indian and Chinese rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) comprises related gene families, some of which are highly polymorphic, whose protein products mediate immune response. Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) are a vital animal model for research in human diseases and are native to regions extending from Afghanistan in the west to the Eastern Plains of China and from Peking to the north, southward through islands of Southeast Asia. The distributions of MHC class-II Mamu DQA1 and Mamu DQB1 alleles in two groups of domestically bred rhesus macaques of Indian and Chinese origin and the Mamu DQA1 genotypes of a small number of Burmese rhesus macaques were compared. Major allelic differences were observed between the Indian and Chinese rhesus macaques, and gene diversity decreased from east to west. These and other intra-specific genetic differences among regional populations of rhesus macaques might influence the outcome of biomedical research in which they are used as subjects, and illustrate the importance of completely genetically characterizing subjects used as animal models in biomedical research.