B Cell Antigens of Black Americans

Forty-four unrelated North American Blacks and one Black family were tested for B-cell specific antigens with 7th International Workshop antisera. DR specificities were clearly defined in this group, but were generally less frequent than those reported for Black Americans in the 7th Workshop report and were most similar in frequency to those reported for African Blacks. Five new B-cell specificities (DuB40–43, 45) were identified. In contradistinction to Caucasians, Black Americans typed for HLA—D with homozygous typing cells failed to exhibit strong linkage disequilibrium between D and DR types.