ABSTRACT
HLA‐C*12:02:62 differs from HLA‐C*12:02:02:01 by a single nucleotide change (C > T) at codon 16 in exon‐2.
Keywords: deceased‐donor (cadaveric) transplantation, HLA‐C polymorphism, next‐generation sequencing (NGS)
Organ transplantation remains the definitive treatment for patients with end‐stage organ failure. Although deceased‐donor (cadaveric) transplantation constitutes the major source of donor organs in many Western countries, India has historically relied predominantly on living donors because of socio‐cultural, infrastructural and awareness‐related challenges. In recent years, however, deceased organ donation has shown steady growth, supported by improved public awareness, strengthening of the national organ donation programme and expansion of transplant infrastructure. India now performs one of the largest numbers of organ transplants worldwide, yet continues to face a substantial organ shortage, with an estimated demand for 0.77 per million population annually [1]. Encouragingly, deceased‐donor transplantation has gained significant momentum, accounting for approximately 15% of all organ transplants, compared with only a small proportion a decade ago [1].
Routine pre‐transplant immunological evaluation is essential for optimising donor–recipient compatibility and improving transplant outcomes. Most transplant centres in India perform comprehensive immunogenetic workups that include high‐resolution HLA typing, assessment of anti‐HLA antibodies using panel reactive antibody (PRA) screening and single‐antigen bead (SAB) assays. The widespread adoption of next‐generation sequencing (NGS) for HLA typing has substantially improved allele‐level resolution and accuracy, while also facilitating the continuous discovery of previously unreported HLA alleles. Here, we report the identification of the novel HLA‐C*12:02:62 allele detected during routine high‐resolution HLA typing of a prospective cadaveric transplant recipient.
Briefly, genomic DNA was extracted from EDTA‐anticoagulated peripheral whole blood using the QIAamp DNA Blood Mini Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). High‐resolution HLA typing was performed using NGSgo kits (GenDx, Utrecht, The Netherlands). The quality and size distribution of the prepared DNA libraries were assessed using the Tape Station system prior to sequencing. Sequencing was carried out on the Illumina NovaSeq‐6000 platform (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA) [2]. Raw sequencing data were analysed using NGSengine software (version 4.0.2; GenDx), and the IPD‐IMGT/HLA Database (version 3.60—April 2025) for allele assignment [3].
The reported novel allele HLA‐C*12:02:62 differs from its most closely related allele, HLA‐C*12:02:02:01, by a single nucleotide substitution in exon 2, codon 16 changing GGC to GGT, (Figure 1). The complete HLA genotype of the individual was: HLA‐A*02:01:01, 24:02:01; ‐B*52:01:01, 52:01:01; ‐C*12:12:02, 12:02:62; ‐DRB1*04:03:01, 15:02:01; ‐DQB1*03:02:01, 06:01:01.
FIGURE 1.
Comparison of the exon 2 sequence of the novel HLA‐C*12:02:62 allele with the reference HLA‐C*12:02:02:01 allele. Dashes indicate nucleotide identity with the reference sequence, and the numbers above the alignment denote codon positions.
The nucleotide sequence of this novel allele was submitted to the GenBank database under the accession number PV955872 and to the IPD‐IMGT/HLA Database with submission number HWS10101448. The name C*12:02:62 has been officially assigned by the WHO Nomenclature Committee for Factors of the HLA System in March 2026. This follows the agreed policy that, subject to the conditions stated in the most recent Nomenclature Report, names will be assigned to new sequences as they are identified. Lists of such new names will be published in the following WHO Nomenclature Report [4].
Author Contributions
Akshay Chaudhary and Mayur Makwana collected samples, performed DNA extraction, amplified HLA genes and prepared sequencing libraries. Hiteshree Buch and Khushagra Parekh conducted sequencing data analysis and interpretation. Sandip Shah and Prabin Kumar prepared, reviewed and submitted the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Data Availability Statement
The nucleotide sequence has been submitted to GenBank (accession: PV955872) and the IPD‐IMGT/HLA Database (submission ID: HWS10101448).
References
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Associated Data
This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article.
Data Availability Statement
The nucleotide sequence has been submitted to GenBank (accession: PV955872) and the IPD‐IMGT/HLA Database (submission ID: HWS10101448).