Blood groups and H‐Lea salivary secretion of Brazilian Cayapo Indians

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Abstract
Five hundred and twenty‐six individuals from four populations were studied in relation to the ABO, MNSs, P, Rh, Lutheran, Kell, Lewis, Duffy, Kidd, Diego and I systems, as well as for the Wright antigen of blood groups. The H‐Lea salivary secretion of 406 of them was also investigated. Considering the gene markers which show variation in South American Indians, the Cayapo frequencies are in the middle of the distribution range for genes LMs, R1 (CDe), R2 (cDE), P1, Jka, Dia and Se but present high values of Le and Fya and low ones of LMS, LNs, Ro (cDe) and/or r (cde), LNS and Rz (CDE). Unusual findings in relation to previous studies are the high prevalence of Le (a+) persons (which, however, could be expected since the frequency of gene Se is not too high) and the presence of one Lu (a+) and one PP1 (Tja) (−) individuals. Comparison of the pattern of inter‐village variation in relation to these polymorphisms with those furnished by historical, demographic and morphological data gives in general reasonable concordance, but some results are difficult to interpret. New approaches and further multidisciplinary studies are needed to obtain a clearer picture of the genetic relationships present among different tribes of South American Indians as well as to understand how polymorphisms are created and maintained in human populations.

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