HLA Typing

The laboratory provides a HLA typing service* for researchers in the MRC WIMM and MRC TIDU.

*Please remember this is a service provided for researchers, not clinicians, and, as such, results are not to be used for diagnostic purposes.

Class I HLA-A/B/C is done by sequencing to 4 digits. Only Exons 2 and 3 are sequenced, so there will be instances of ambiguities. The report will only contain the most likely combinations of alleles. This gives you the Exon 2+3 sequences of both alleles.

Class II DRB1/DQB1 is done by sequencing to 4 digits. Only Exon 2 is sequenced, so as above, there will be instances of ambiguities occasionally.

Results will be sent preferably via e-mail and will be in an Excel spreadsheet.

For a successful HLA type, we need about 50ul of DNA at a concentration of between 100 and 250ng/ul. When labelling samples, please make the writing legible and if possible, unique. For example, samples labelled '1' or 'A' are not unique enough.

When submitting samples, please use the Sequencing request form and clearly state whether you require Class I, Class II or both.

The facility can also determine HLA-E and DPB1 if required but at extra cost. If you have any enquiries about the service, please contact Tim Rostron or ring the lab on extension 22758.

Purchase Orders
If you are not a member of TIDU, the WIMM HLA Typing Facility will require a Purchase Order (PO) to be raised in R12 for all HLA work undertaken. The supplier in R12 is 'Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine'.

Current prices can be found on our intranet.