Disease Associations
Philosophically, A1-B8 is more than just two gene-alleles. These gene-alleles are markers for a haplotype, a stretch of chromosome 6 that contains many gene alleles. In its natural history this haplotype underwent some atypical selection, at the end of the period of evolution it became the predominant haplotypes in North/Western European ancestors. Today however the collection of genes is associated with increased incidences of certain diseases. Despite the fact that the associations have been known almost as long as A1 and "A8" were known, the role of factors affecting disease are still not clear.
Read more about this topic: HLA A1-B8 Haplotype
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