MHC haplotype frequencies in a UK breeding colony of Mauritian cynomolgus macaques mirror those found in a distinct population from the same geographic origin.

Background  Mauritian cynomolgus macaques have greatly restricted genetic diversity in the MHC region compared to other non-human primates; however, the frequency of common MHC haplotypes among captive-bred populations has not been reported. Methods  Microsatellite PCR was used to determine MHC haplotype frequencies among captive macaques at a UK breeding facility. Allele-specific PCR and reference strand conformational analysis were used to determine the allele expression profile of a subset of animals. Results  Haplotypes H3 (21%) and H1 (19%) were most common in the captive population of Mauritian cynomolgus macaques. Predicted alleles were detected by allele-specific PCR-SSP in 98% of animals. Allele expression profiles were similar in animals with identical haplotypes. Conclusions  Mauritian cynomolgus macaques in the UK breeding facility have restricted MHC diversity comparable to a previously described population. Microsatellite-derived haplotypes are highly predictive of allele expression. A selective breeding program has been established to produce MHC-identical animals for biomedical research.