F T Christiansen

Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

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Publications (103)491.55 Total impact

  • Article: A region centromeric of the major histocompatibility complex class I region is as highly polymorphic as HLA-B. Implications for recombination.
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    ABSTRACT: Two hallmarks of the MHC are the high degree of polymorphism apparent at multiple loci and "linkage disequilibrium." The data presented here suggest that a consequence of selection at a particular locus may be the inhibition of recombination through the accumulation of DNA sequence polymorphisms. Equivalent 6.4 kb regions from a locus, CL1, located approximately 25-30 kb centromeric of HLA-B, were sequenced for three ancestral haplotypes: A1,B8,DR3; A30,B18,DR3; and A1,B57,DR7. Comparison of the sequences indicated that the level of DNA sequence polymorphism was high when compared with the TNF region; approximately 80 single nucleotide differences were found when comparing any two sequences. In addition, multiple deletions/insertions were present. We believe that the degree of polymorphism within the CL interval may be adequate to at least partially inhibit recombination between the haplotypes studied.
    Human Immunology 10/1993; 38(1):75-82. · 2.84 Impact Factor
  • Article: Major histocompatibility complex influences the development of acute graft-versus-host disease in MHC-matched adult allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
    Transplantation Proceedings 03/1993; 25(1 Pt 2):1276-8. · 1.00 Impact Factor
  • Article: Natural killer defined haplotypes are associated with particular ancestral haplotypes: implications for bone marrow transplantation.
    Transplantation Proceedings 03/1993; 25(1 Pt 2):1259-60. · 1.00 Impact Factor
  • Article: Genetic factors influence the development of acute graft-versus-host disease in adults undergoing allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
    Transplantation Proceedings 11/1992; 24(5):2269. · 1.00 Impact Factor
  • Article: Ancestral haplotypes predict EC-1 alleles.
    Transplantation Proceedings 11/1992; 24(5):2333-4. · 1.00 Impact Factor
  • Article: Ancestral haplotypes: conserved population MHC haplotypes.
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    ABSTRACT: We describe here a number of Caucasoid MHC haplotypes that extend from HLA-B to DR and that have been conserved en bloc. These haplotypes and recombinants between any two of them account for 73% of unselected haplotypes in our Caucasoid population. The existence of ancestral haplotypes implies conservation of large chromosomal segments. Irrespective of the mechanisms involved in preservation of ancestral haplotypes, it is clear that these haplotypes carry several MHC genes, other than HLA, which may be relevant to antigen presentation, autoimmune responses, and transplantation rejection. In light of the existence of ancestral haplotypes, it is critical to evaluate MHC associations with disease and transplantation outcome in terms of associations with ancestral haplotypes rather than individual alleles.
    Human Immunology 09/1992; 34(4):242-52. · 2.84 Impact Factor
  • Article: Sequence differences between HLA-B and TNF distinguish different MHC ancestral haplotypes.
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    ABSTRACT: The HLA-B locus is extremely polymorphic. We have sequenced a region, CL, telomeric of HLA-B that also shows a high degree of allelic variation which we have shown previously by RFLP analysis. The polymorphism can be accounted for by sequence variation in duplicated, reiterated sequence elements called geometric elements. Comparison of the CL1 and CL2 sequences from the 57.1, 8.1, 18.2 and 7.1 ancestral haplotypes revealed that the lengths of the elements vary, both between the duplicated loci within a haplotype and between haplotypes, apparently because certain sequences are inserted or deleted. It is possible, using the polymerase chain reaction, to amplify these elements in genomic DNA from ancestral haplotypes for which sequence data of the CL region are not available and to obtain gel patterns which are characteristic of different ancestral haplotypes. The most striking feature of the data is the fact that the majority of the CL patterns are haplospecific; i.e. have a particular pattern that is unique for a particular ancestral haplotype and can be used to type these ancestral haplotypes. At least 12 different allelic patterns have been identified within a panel of 29 cell lines representing 16 ancestral haplotypes. For these 16 ancestral haplotypes, all examples of each haplotype have the same CL pattern. The haplotypic nature of the patterns confirms that ancestral haplotypes are conserved chromosomal segments and that coding and non-coding sequences are identical by descent from a remote ancestor.
    Tissue Antigens 04/1992; 39(3):117-21. · 2.59 Impact Factor
  • Article: Haplospecific polymorphism between HLA B and tumor necrosis factor.
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    ABSTRACT: Polymorphisms were sought between HLA B and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) using three genomic probes. Extensive polymorphism was detected within a panel of 50 cell lines including 37 homozygotes representing 21 different ancestral haplotypes (AH). Following Taq I digestion of genomic DNA, we observed three allelic patterns with probe X (R17A) and four with probe V (R9A). Seven different allelic patterns were found with probe Y (M20A) after Taq I + Rsa I digestion. Family studies showed that the Y, X, and V alleles were inherited and segregated with HLA haplotypes. A striking feature of the allelic patterns detected by these probes was that cells with the same AH had identical Y, X, and V alleles (i.e., the alleles were haplotypic). Of 15 different Y-X-V haplotypes observed, 11 were found to be specific for a particular AH (i.e., were haplospecific). Four were shared by more than one AH, but in these instances there were extensive similarities in other regions within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), for example, the Japanese 46.2 (HLA Bw46-DRw8) and the Chinese 46.1 (Bw46-DR9) share all alleles between HLA C and C4 and differ only in class II, suggesting their relatively recent divergence by recombination between C4 and DR. Surprisingly, two insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM)-resistant but race-specific AHs 52.1 (Bw52-DRB1*1502, Japanese) and 7.1 (B7-DRB1*1501, Caucasoid) carry the same Y-X-V haplotype, suggesting the possibility of localizing gene(s) relevant to IDDM. The present study confirms that MHC AHs have been conserved en bloc, including the region between HLA B and TNF.
    Human Immunology 03/1992; 33(2):89-97. · 2.84 Impact Factor
  • Article: Ancestral haplotypes reveal the role of the central MHC in the immunogenetics of IDDM.
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    ABSTRACT: The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) contains multiple and diverse genes which may be relevant to the induction and regulation of autoimmune responses in insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). In addition to HLA class I and II, the possible candidates include TNF, C4, and several other poorly defined polymorphic genes in the central MHC region. This study describes two approaches which take advantage of the fact that the relevant genes are carried by highly conserved ancestral haplotypes such as 8.1 (HLA-B8, TNFS, C4AQ0, C4B1, DR3, DQ2). First, three "diabetogenic" haplotypes (two Caucasoid and one Mongoloid) have been compared and it has been shown that all three share a rare allele of BAT3 as well as sharing DR3, DQ2. In 43 sequential patients with IDDM the cross product ratio for BAT3S was 4.8 (p less than 0.01) and 6.9 for HLA-B8 plus BAT3S (p less than 0.001). Second, partial or recombinant ancestral haplotypes with either HLA class I (HLA-B8) or II (HLA-DR3, DQ2) alleles were identified. Third, using haplotypic polymorphisms such as the one in BAT3, we have shown that all the patients carrying recombinants of the 8.1 ancestral haplotype share the central region adjacent to HLA-B. These findings suggest that both HLA and non-HLA genes are involved in conferring susceptibility to IDDM, and that the region between HLA-B and BAT3 contains some of the relevant genes. By contrast, similar approaches suggest that protective genes map to the HLA class II region.
    Immunogenetics 02/1992; 36(6):345-56. · 2.93 Impact Factor
  • Article: An approach to the localization of the susceptibility genes for generalized myasthenia gravis by mapping recombinant ancestral haplotypes.
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    ABSTRACT: The association of HLA A1, B8, and DR3 with generalized myasthenia gravis (GMG) in Caucasoids is well established, but no particular gene has been implicated and there is still no adequate explanation in functional terms. In this study we have taken advantage of sequential genomic markers between B8 and DR3 so as to map the location of susceptibility gene(s) on the A1, B8, DR3 (8.1) ancestral haplotype. By studying 51 patients, we have delineated a region between HLA B and TNF which is shared by 29/29 patients with B8 and DR3, 19/19 patients with B8 but not DR3 and 2/3 patients with DR3 but not B8. The potential importance of this region was confirmed by examining a similar disease induced by D-Penicillamine (D-PenMG) and associated with different HLA class II alleles (DR1 and/or DR7). Among these patients, 7/16 (44%) have B8, often with other markers of 8.1. These results implicate at least two categories of genes in determining susceptibility to MG; one located in the region between HLA B and TNF may be immunoregulatory, whereas the second, located in the class II region, may relate to the inducing factor (e.g., DR1 or DR7 in D-PenMG).
    Immunogenetics 02/1992; 35(6):355-64. · 2.93 Impact Factor
  • Article: Genomic organization of a polymorphic duplicated region centromeric of HLA-B.
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    ABSTRACT: The region between tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and HLA-B in the central major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is polymorphic and associated with several autoimmune diseases. The polymorphisms are haplospecific or haplotypic and retained within the same MHC ancestral haplotype (AH). We have cloned this region from four AHs into lambda bacteriophage and found that a highly polymorphic region in the TNF-HLA-B interval is duplicated. Clones from this region isolated from three MHC AHs show two populations. The regions, designated CL1 and CL2, have different sizes of Bam HI fragments carrying the duplicated sequences. These fragments correspond to those seen after Bam HI restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of genomic DNA from the same cell lines. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis analysis shows that both CL1 and CL2 are in the central MHC and are about 16 kilobases apart. DNA cloning and RFLP analysis demonstrate that the CL region is highly polymorphic but retained within an MHC AH. Polymorphism and duplication are common characteristics of the genes found in the MHC and therefore the CL sequences have the potential to be interesting in this respect.
    Immunogenetics 02/1992; 36(4):208-12. · 2.93 Impact Factor
  • Article: Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) complement deficiency, ancestral haplotypes and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): C4 deficiency explains some but not all of the influence of the MHC.
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    ABSTRACT: In 1982 we reported that among Caucasians with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) there is an increased frequency of C4A null. As this allele occurs on the HLA-A1,B8,BfS, C4AQO,B1,DR3 (8.1) supratype, we suggested this accounted for the reported association of B8 and DR3. Since then we have shown that many supratypes including 8.1 identify unique segments of DNA conserved from a common but remote ancestor. Many of these ancestral haplotypes (AH), including 8.1, carry disease genes and some bear C4 null. We have therefore tested the hypothesis that in SLE C4 null alleles are directly involved by examining (1) whether all or only some AH bearing C4 null alleles are increased, (2) whether C4 null is increased in all racial groups examined, and (3) whether C4 null is associated with the presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in the absence of SLE. We performed HLA and complement allotyping on 62 Australian Caucasians and 9 Australian aborigines with SLE and on the 10 out of 133 healthy individuals with 7 or more international units of ANA. Our data confirm an association of C4A null in Australian Caucasians (gene frequency 0.30 versus 0.15 in controls) and show an increased frequency of C4B null in Australian aborigines (gene frequency 0.33 versus 0.22). A review of an extensive literature shows C4A and/or C4B null are increased in all racial groups examined. On the other hand, the HLA-A3,B7,BfS,C4A3,B1,DR2 (7.1) AH rather than C4 null is associated with ANA in health. Our data indicate that while C4 nulls contribute to MHC susceptibility, other genes are likely to be involved.
    The Journal of Rheumatology 10/1991; 18(9):1350-8. · 3.69 Impact Factor
  • Article: Questions in marrow matching: the implications of ancestral haplotypes for routine practice.
    F T Christiansen, C S Witt, R L Dawkins
    Bone Marrow Transplantation 09/1991; 8(2):83-6. · 3.75 Impact Factor
  • Article: Genetics of diabetes. Studies of MHC haplotypes by pulsed field gel electrophoresis.
    Baillière s Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 07/1991; 5(2):285-97.
  • Article: Major histocompatibility complex ancestral haplotypes in the chimpanzee: identification using C4 allotyping.
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    ABSTRACT: In humans, certain major histocompatibility complex (MHC) supratypes mark unique DNA segments which have been conserved from a common but remote ancestor. In order to determine whether these ancestral haplotypes (AHs) exist in nonhuman primates, C4 allotyping was undertaken on 71 chimpanzees. Four large pedigrees were available. There are at least seven codominant C4 alleles at two loci. Null alleles are also present. It was possible to assign class I, class II, and C4 alleles to 37 unrelated haplotypes; several supratypes occurred two or more times. These putative AHs included some with alleles which resemble those carried by certain human AHs. These data provide evidence that similar MHC AHs are present in the chimpanzee and human. The present approach provides a basis for comparative studies examining the evolutionary and functional significance of the MHC.
    Human Immunology 06/1991; 31(1):34-9. · 2.84 Impact Factor
  • Article: Characterization of MHC ancestral haplotypes associated with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: evidence for involvement of non-HLA genes.
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    ABSTRACT: Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is associated with several DR3- or DR4-containing ancestral haplotypes (AHs). Using pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), long range maps of 35 haplotypes have been derived and classified. Two diabetogenic DR3-containing AHs (8.1 and 18.2) possess deletions in the central non-HLA region; these have not been found on non-diabetogenic AHs tested to date. In addition, 8.1 and 18.2 also carry other deletions not found on other AHs. Three DR4 containing AH lack a Not I site, which may imply excision of an unidentified gene. These and other data suggest that deletions may be relevant to the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease, possibly through causing quantitative differences in autoimmune responses involved in IDDM. The MHC contains several regions of potential interest in relation to susceptibility to IDDM; these may explain the association with only certain DR3- and DR4-carrying AH and DR3,4 heterozygosity in terms of cis and trans interactions. On the other hand, the class II region may be particularly important in protection.
    Journal of immunogenetics 01/1991; 17(6):379-86.
  • Source
    Article: Differences in gene copy number carried by different MHC ancestral haplotypes. Quantitation after physical separation of haplotypes by pulsed field gel electrophoresis.
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    ABSTRACT: We have examined the hypothesis that MHC ancestral haplotypes have a specific content of genes regulating the extent of autoimmune reactions. Gene copy number was quantitated by objective densitometry after PFGE was used to separate heterozygous AHs of different lengths. Initially we analyzed examples of known gene copy number at the C4 and 21 hydroxylase loci and showed that the approach provides predictable results. We then studied heterozygotes containing one characterized and one uncharacterized AH with particular attention to the gene copy number at the C4, Cyp21, and DRB loci. Each AH studied has a characteristic gene copy number at each locus studied. The same may be true of TNF, but other possibilities must be considered. AHs are markers for extensive chromosomal segments including particular numbers of several functional genes. Since AHs mark susceptibility to autoimmune disease, differences in gene copy number may be implicated.
    Journal of Experimental Medicine 07/1990; 171(6):2101-14. · 13.85 Impact Factor
  • Article: Supratypes and ancestral haplotypes in IDDM: potential importance of central non-HLA MHC genes.
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    ABSTRACT: Juvenile insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus develops in susceptible children exposed to unknown environmental factors. If the genes responsible for susceptibility could be identified, it should be possible to understand the method of injury to beta cells as well as identify the infectious or other agents involved. For a decade it has been known that one or more of the susceptibility genes must be within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Unfortunately, there are at least 20 different genes in the complex and it has not been possible to determine which are actually responsible. Therefore, we undertook to apply a new concept and new technology to the problem. Over several years we have shown that the diabetogenic gene(s) are contained within conserved ancestral haplotypes which can then be used as markers of the DNA which must contain the gene(s), whether present in a patient or an asymptomatic carrier such as a parent. This approach avoids the confusion which has resulted from using DR3 or DR4 which are only sometimes associated with the relevant genes. The new technology involves pulsed field gel electrophoresis which allows examination of large fragments of DNA containing all of the MHC, and makes it possible to identify deletions and duplications which were otherwise undetectable. In the first instance we compared two ancestral haplotypes [1,8,3 (8.1) and 18,F1,3 (18.2)] known to contain the relevant genes, and contrasted the DNA with that of another ancestral haplotype [3,7,2(7.1)] which is known to lack these genes. We have shown that there are three major deletions common to the two carrier haplotypes but absent in the protective haplotypes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
    Journal of Autoimmunity 05/1990; 3 Suppl 1:63-8. · 7.37 Impact Factor
  • Article: Comparative mapping of the human major histocompatibility complex in different racial groups by pulsed field gel electrophoresis.
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    ABSTRACT: The molecular map of the human major histocompatibility complex was examined in multiple examples of various Caucasoid and Japanese major histocompatibility complex supratypes using pulsed field gel electrophoresis. Extensive differences in restriction fragment lengths were observed. However, each supratype showed specific genomic characteristics including deletions, duplications, or insertions supporting the hypothesis that these supratypes are markers of conserved ancestral haplotypes. Some of the gene arrangements are consistent with the deletions or duplications previously described or suggested by conventional DNA techniques and protein typing, while others have not been recognized previously. Characterization of the gene organization within disease-associated ancestral haplotypes will provide new insights into the functional role and evolution of the major histocompatibility complex.
    Human Immunology 11/1989; 26(2):99-106. · 2.84 Impact Factor
  • Article: Some disease-associated ancestral haplotypes carry a polymorphism of TNF.
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    ABSTRACT: We describe here an Nco I restriction fragment length polymorphism of tumor necrosis factor carried by the 8.1 (HLA-A1,B8,BfS,C4AQ0,C4B1,DR3) and the 44.1 (HLA-B44,BfS,C4A3,C4BQ0,DR4) ancestral haplotypes associated with complications of rheumatoid arthritis. By examining multiple examples of these and other ancestral haplotypes it was seen that 8.1 and 44.1 ancestral haplotypes yield fragments of approximately 5.5 kb while many other ancestral haplotypes carry fragments of approximately 10.5 kb. The polymorphism is associated with the ancestral haplotype rather than the HLA-B or -DR allele defined by conventional serology.
    Human Immunology 11/1989; 26(2):91-7. · 2.84 Impact Factor

Institutions

  • 1987–2007
    • Royal Perth Hospital
      Perth, Western Australia, Australia
  • 1999
    • University of Western Australia
      • School of Chemistry and Biochemistry
      Perth, Western Australia, Australia
  • 1993–1994
    • Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
      Perth, Western Australia, Australia
    • National Institute for Research on Cancer
      Genova, Liguria, Italy