The Origin of Kurds

The Origin of Kurds Nov 22, 2019 19:13:35 GMT

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Post by Admin on Nov 22, 2019 19:13:35 GMT

HLA allele frequencies found in Kurd Iraq population: comparison with other Populations
The expected and observed allele frequency values for HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1 and -DQB1 shows that the population is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Table 3 depicts HLA allele frequencies found in the sampled population. Sixteen different HLA-A, twenty-seven different HLA-B and thirteen different HLA-C alleles were founds in class I. Only seven HLA-A alleles, nine HLA-B alleles and seven HLA-C alleles had frequencies higher than 4% (-A*01, -A*02, -A*03, -A*11, -A*24, -A*26, -A*32, -B*07, -B*08, -B*18, -B*35, -B*38, -B*41, -B*44, -B*51, -B*52, -C*04, -C*06, -C*07, -C*12, -C*15, -C*16 and -C*17). Twelve different HLA-DRB1 alleles and five different HLA-DQB1 alleles were found. Only eight HLA-DRB1 alleles and four HLA-DQB1 alleles had frequencies higher than 4% (-DRB1*01, -DRB1*03, -DRB1*04, -DRB1*07, -DRB1*11, -DRB1*13, -DRB1*14, -DRB1*15, -DQB1*02, -DQB1*03, -DQB1*05 and -DQB1*06).

Table 3. HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, and -DQB1 allele frequencies in Iraq Kurds population.

DRB1 alleles were used to compare our three Kurd samples with other populations in NJ analysis. It was not possible to perform this study with HLA class I allele frequencies due to the lack of class I studies in many worldwide available populations (Table 2).

NJ relatedness dendrogram based on HLA-DRB1 analysis separates populations in two differentiated clusters: A and B (Fig 2). Cluster A groups North and South Mediterraneans (Europeans and Africans) and Middle East populations (included Iraq Kurds, Iran Kurds [13] and Georgia Kurds [5]). Cluster B includes Central and eastern Siberians and Oriental population: such Tuvinians [3], Todja, Tofalar, Ulchi, Negidal [31], Japanese [20], Kets, Evenks [34]. Cluster A1 contains Iraq Kurds and Georgia Kurds, which are placed together [5], Palestinians [41], Armenians [20], Iran Kurds [13], East Europe (Croatians) [21], Cretans [33], Macedonians [38], Near East (Lebanese) [21] and Non-Ashkenazi Jews [28] (Fig 2). Cluster A2 places together other Mediterraneans (Europeans and Africans such as Spaniards and Spanish Basques) [43], French [20], Berbers [30] and Moroccans [39] (Fig 2).

Fig 2. Neighbour-Joining dendrogram.

Neighbour-Joining (NJ) dendrogram constructed with HLA-DRB1 allele frequencies showing relatedness between Iraq Kurds and other World populations. Bootstrap values are 100%.

Correspondence analysis based on HLA-DRB1 allele frequencies (Fig 3) shows similar results to those of Fig 2. Two clusters are clearly defined according to first dimension that explains most of the variability among populations. The first one groups together Siberian and Oriental populations (left, Fig 3) and the second cluster comprises Europeans, Mediterraneans, Caucasus and Iranian populations; Iraq Kurds, Iran Kurds [13] and Georgia Kurds [5] are located relatively close together.

Fig 3. Correspondence analysis.

Correspondence analysis showing a global view of the relationship between Kurds and Mediterranean, Siberians and other World populations according to HLA-DRB1 (low resolutions) allele frequencies in three dimensions (bidimensional representation).

Plain genetic distances (DA) show that Iraq Kurds closest genetic distances are the following: Near East populations (Iran Kurds, Palestinians, FarsParsi, Georgia Kurds and Ashkenazi Jews), eastern Mediterranean populations (Armenians, Cretans and Macedonians), and Mediterranean populations (Sardinians, Spaniards, Algerians and Italians) (Results not shown).

The Origin of Kurds Nov 23, 2019 7:31:26 GMT

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Post by Admin on Nov 23, 2019 7:31:26 GMT

HLA haplotype common to georgian, Iran and Iraq Kurds
The following haplotypes are shared among Kurd populations: HLA-B*52-DRB1*15 is present in Iran Kurds (2.5%), Iraq Kurds (1.59%) and Georgia Kurds (3.6%); these later results have been taken from our previous work with a low number of individuals (n = 30) [5]. HLA-A*02-B*51-DRB1*11 is present in Iraq Kurds (2.3%) and Georgia Kurds (3.6%) (this study and [5,13]); DRB1*11-DQB1*03 is present in Iraq Kurds (10%) and Iran Kurds (6.7%); DRB1*03-DQB1*02 is present in Iraq Kurds (5.9%) and Iran Kurds (3.38%); DRB1*01-DQB1*05 is present in Iraq Kurds (3.3%) and Iran Kurds (1.67%) and DRB1*15-DQB1*06 is present in Iraq Kurds (2.5%) and in Iran Kurds (1.59%) (this study and [5,13]).

Table 4. The twelve most frequent HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1 and -DQB1 extended haplotypes in Kurds.

Conclusions and Final Remarks
Kurds are currently living in Kurdistan, a region encompassing different parts of several Middle East countries (Fig 1, Table 1); in addition they have moved to live in Middle East and European cities. We had previously studied Kurds in Tbilisi (Georgia, [5]) and also in Iran [13] for HLA allele frequencies. Our conclusions were that their HLA profile showed that Kurds form part of Mediterranean stock of people and also had Caucasus genetic traits (Svan, Georgians, [13,35,44]). Also, it is worth mentioning that Lak population (East Caucasus Area) may be close to both Lur and Kurd populations, and Lak name could be considered composed of Lur and Kurd words [52].

In the present paper, we have analyzed HLA genes in Kurds living in North Iraq (Erbil and Dohuk areas). Comparison with other populations place them as a Middle East population, close to Kurds from Tbilisi-Georgia, Palestinians, Armenians and Kurds from Iran (Fig 2). Correspondence analysis (Fig 3, right side) shows that Kurds (living in Iran, Tbilisi-Georgia and Iraq) somewhat divide bidimensional representation analysis in western Mediterraneans (upper part) and Eastern Mediterraneans (lower part). In both analyses (Figs 2 and 3), Kurds are also close to Caucasian (Svan, Georgian) populations. Conclusion is that Kurds are genetically close to surrounding Caucasian and Mediterranean populations and that have remained settled down in Kurdistan since ancient times; supporting historical evidence is reviewed in our previous work [5,6] and Ref [15].

HLA genetic similarity have been reported between Turks (whose genes belong to old Anatolian stock) and Kurds [5,6,13]. Kurds and Turks speak languages that are included in different families [53]. However, Kurd HLA genetic studies include them into Mediterranean stock together with Turks [5,13]. Other genetic studies based on Y-Chr in Kurds from Turkey, Georgia and Iran identify the dominant presence of haplogroups originated in Middle East (Anatolia or Mesopotamia) that show a close association with Jews, Lebanese and Turkish genes [7,8,12]. Also, Iranian populations are close to Kurds [54,55]. This again shows that languages and genes do not correlate because languages may be imposed by a genetic (but powerful) minority. This is the case of Turks: Anatolian people were settled down there since ancient prehistoric times, but a minority of people (Turks) coming from Central Asia imposed language in historical times [5,6].

Thus Middle East peoples from Mediterranean border and Kurds seem originally to belong to a similar ethnic group according to HLA autosomic and Y chromosomes genes results. Kurds have always lived in the mountains being "autochthonous” (6000 BC). Hurrians, whose language was Caucasian (and not Indo-European) may be Kurds ancient genetic background, reviewed in Refs [5,6]. By 1200 BC, Medes and others invaded Hurrian area. Kurdish historians consider that Kurds come from Medes, reviewed in [5]. "Kuru" was the first name of Kurds given by Assyrians (1000 BC) to groups living at Mt. Azu, Kurdistan. Kurds are also mentioned by early classical historians like Polybius (133 BC) and Strabo (48 AD), Kurds were named as “the Mountains People” under Persian, Greek and Roman Anatolian Peninsula rule [5].

In summary, all three Kurd populations studied in the present paper are genetically close together and to other Mediterranean and Caucasus populations according to HLA genes. This study may also help for future transplantation programs in their area and Kurd HLA Epidemiology and Pharmacogenomics.

Arnaiz-Villena A, Palacio-Grüber J, Muñiz E, Campos C, Alonso-Rubio J, Gomez-Casado E, et al. (2017) Genetic HLA Study of Kurds in Iraq, Iran and Tbilisi (Caucasus, Georgia): Relatedness and Medical Implications. PLoS ONE 12(1): e0169929.