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Background & objectives: Little data are available regarding the frequencies of the blood group antigens other than ABO and RhD in the Indian population. Knowledge of the antigen frequencies is important to assess risk of antibody formation and to guide the probability of finding antigen-negative donor blood, which is especially useful when blood is required for a patient who has multiple red cell alloantibodies. This study was carried out to determine the frequencies of the D, C, c, E, e, K, k, Fy a , Fy b , Jk a , Jk b , M, N, S and s antigens in over 3,000 blood donors. Methods: Samples from randomly selected blood donors from Delhi and nearby areas (both voluntary and replacement) were collected for extended antigen typing during the period January 2009 to January 2010. Antigens were typed via automated testing on the Galileo instrument using commercial antisera. Results: A total of 3073 blood samples from donors were phenotyped. The prevalence of these antigens was found to be as follows in %: D: 93.6, C: 87, c: 58, E: 20, e: 98, K: 3.5, k: 99.97, Fy a : 87.4, Fy b : 57.6, Jk a : 81.5, Jk b : 67.4, M: 88.7, N: 65.4, S: 54.8 and s: 88.7. Interpretation & conclusions: This study found the prevalence of the typed antigens among Indian blood donors to be statistically different to those in the Caucasian, Black and Chinese populations, but more similar to Caucasians than to the other racial groups.

During the peak of hospitalizations of patients with severe Covid-19 in Italy and Spain in March, a group of researchers in these and other countries obtained and analyzed samples, resulting in the identification of two chromosomal loci associated with the disorder.

Norovirus (NoV) constitutes the second most common viral pathogen causing pediatric diarrhea after rotavirus. In Africa, diarrhea is a major health problem in children, and yet few studies have been performed regarding NoV. The association of histo-blood group antigens (HBGA) and susceptibility to NoV infection is well established in Caucasian populations with non-secretors being resistant to many common NoV strains. No study regarding HBGA and NoV susceptibility has yet been performed in Africa. We collected 309 stool and 208 saliva samples from diarrheal children in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; May 2009 to March 2010. NoV was detected using real-time PCR, and genotyped by sequencing. Saliva samples were ABO, Lewis and secretor phenotyped using in house ELISA assays. NoV was detected in 12% (n = 37) of the samples. The genotype diversity was unusually large; overall the 37 positive samples belonged to 14 genotypes. Only children <2 years of age were NoV positive and the GII.4 NoVs were more frequent in the late dry season (Jan-May). NoV infections were observed less in children with the secretor-negative phenotype or blood group A (OR 0.18; p = 0.012 and OR 0.31; p = 0.054; respectively), with two non-secretors infected with genotypes GII.7 and GII.4 respectively. Lewis-negative (Le(a-b-)) children, representing 32% of the study population, were susceptible to GII, but were not infected with any NoV GI. GII.4 strains preferentially infected children with blood group B whereas secretor-positive children with blood group O were infected with the largest variety of genotypes. This is the first study identifying host genetic factors associated with susceptibility to NoV in an African population, and suggests that while the non-secretor phenotype provides protection; the Lewis b antigen is not necessary for GII infection.

The human gut symbiont Ruminococcus gnavus displays strain-specific repertoires of glycoside hydrolases (GHs) contributing to its spatial location in the gut. Sequence similarity network analysis identified strain-specific differences in blood-group endo-β-1,4-galactosidase belonging to the GH98 family. We determined the substrate and linkage specificities of GH98 from R . gnavus ATCC 29149, Rg GH98, against a range of defined oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates including mucin. We showed by HPAEC-PAD and LC-FD-MS/MS that Rg GH98 is specific for blood group A tetrasaccharide type II (BgA II). Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR confirmed Rg GH98 affinity for blood group A over blood group B and H antigens. The molecular basis of Rg GH98 strict specificity was further investigated using a combination of glycan microarrays, site-directed mutagenesis, and X-ray crystallography. The crystal structures of Rg GH98 in complex with BgA trisaccharide (BgAtri) and of Rg GH98 E411A with BgA II revealed a dedicated hydrogen network of residues, which were shown by site-directed mutagenesis to be critical to the recognition of the BgA epitope. We demonstrated experimentally that Rg GH98 is part of an operon of 10 genes that is overexpresssed in vitro when R . gnavus ATCC 29149 is grown on mucin as sole carbon source as shown by RNAseq analysis and RT-qPCR confirmed Rg GH98 expression on BgA II growth. Using MALDI-ToF MS, we showed that Rg GH98 releases BgAtri from mucin and that pretreatment of mucin with Rg GH98 confered R . gnavus E1 the ability to grow, by enabling the E1 strain to metabolise BgAtri and access the underlying mucin glycan chain. These data further support that the GH repertoire of R . gnavus strains enable them to colonise different nutritional niches in the human gut and has potential applications in diagnostic and therapeutics against infection.

Pure red-cell aplasia developed in a type O–positive recipient of a type A–positive allogeneic stem-cell transplant. The condition was refractory to darbepoetin alfa, glucocorticoids, and rituximab but responded promptly to daratumumab, an anti-CD38 antibody.

ABO blood groups and secretor status are important in clinical and forensic medicine and in relation to some diseases. There are geographic and racial differences in their frequencies, but the frequency of secretor status in different ABO blood group systems has not been determined yet. Therefore, the aim of this study was mainly to determine this point. Blood and saliva from 762 randomly selected apparently healthy adult individuals (480 men and 282 women) were examined to determine their ABO and Rhesus blood groups by standard conventional methods, and their secretor status by using Lewis blood grouping and/or hemagglutination inhibition test of saliva. Results showed that 76.1% of the study population were ABH blood group antigens secretors and 23.9% were nonsecretors. The frequencies of secretor status in different ABO blood groups were 70.1% in group A, 67.8% in group B, 67.9% in group AB, and 88.3% in group O. In conclusion, blood group O individuals have significantly higher frequency of secretor status than non-O blood group individuals. This finding would be beneficial to them, protecting them, at least partially, from certain malignancies or allowing them to have less aggressive disease, and this finding might be useful in enhancing further studies and research in this direction.

Background Numerous studies have been conducted to investigate the relationship between ABO and Rhesus (Rh) blood groups and various health outcomes. However, a comprehensive evaluation of the robustness of these associations is still lacking. Methods We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane, and several regional databases from their inception until Feb 16, 2024, with the aim of identifying systematic reviews with meta-analyses of observational studies exploring associations between ABO and Rh blood groups and diverse health outcomes. For each association, we calculated the summary effect sizes, corresponding 95% confidence intervals, 95% prediction interval, heterogeneity, small-study effect, and evaluation of excess significance bias. The evidence was evaluated on a grading scale that ranged from convincing (Class I) to weak (Class IV). We assessed the certainty of evidence according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria (GRADE). We also evaluated the methodological quality of included studies using the A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR). AMSTAR contains 11 items, which were scored as high (8–11), moderate (4–7), and low (0–3) quality. We have gotten the registration for protocol on the PROSPERO database (CRD42023409547). Results The current umbrella review included 51 systematic reviews with meta-analysis articles with 270 associations. We re-calculated each association and found only one convincing evidence (Class I) for an association between blood group B and type 2 diabetes mellitus risk compared with the non-B blood group. It had a summary odds ratio of 1.28 (95% confidence interval: 1.17, 1.40), was supported by 6870 cases with small heterogeneity ( I 2  = 13%) and 95% prediction intervals excluding the null value, and without hints of small-study effects ( P for Egger’s test > 0.10, but the largest study effect was not more conservative than the summary effect size) or excess of significance ( P  < 0.10, but the value of observed less than expected). And the article was demonstrated with high methodological quality using AMSTAR (score = 9). According to AMSTAR, 18, 32, and 11 studies were categorized as high, moderate, and low quality, respectively. Nine statistically significant associations reached moderate quality based on GRADE. Conclusions Our findings suggest a potential relationship between ABO and Rh blood groups and adverse health outcomes. Particularly the association between blood group B and type 2 diabetes mellitus risk.

Human histo-blood group A transferase (AT) catalyzes the biosynthesis of oligosaccharide A antigen important in blood transfusion and cell/tissue/organ transplantation. This enzyme may synthesize Forssman antigen (FORS1) of the FORS blood group system when exon 3 or 4 of the AT mRNA is deleted and/or the LeuGlyGly tripeptide at codons 266–268 of AT is replaced by GlyGlyAla. The Met69Ser/Thr substitutions also confer weak Forssman glycolipid synthase (FS) activity. In this study, we prepared the human AT derivative constructs containing any of the 20 amino acids at codon 69 with and without the GlyGlyAla substitution, transfected DNA to newly generated COS1(B3GALNT1 + A4GALT) cells expressing an enhanced level of globoside (Gb4), the FS acceptor substrate, and immunologically examined the FORS1 expression. Our results showed that all those substitution constructs at codon 69 exhibited FS activity. The combination with GlyGlyAla significantly increased the activity. The conserved methionine residue in the ABO , but not GBGT1 , gene-encoded proteins may implicate its contribution to the separation of these genes in genetic evolution. Surprisingly, with increased Gb4 availability, the original human AT with the methionine residue at codon 69 was also demonstrated to synthesize FORS1, providing another molecular mechanism of FORS1 appearance in cancer of ordinary FORS1-negative individuals.

Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion is one of the most frequently performed clinical procedures and therapies to improve tissue oxygen delivery in hospitalized patients worldwide. Generally, the cross-match is the mandatory test in place to meet the clinical needs of RBC transfusion by examining donor-recipient compatibility with antigens and antibodies of blood groups. Blood groups are usually an individual's combination of antigens on the surface of RBCs, typically of the ABO blood group system and the RH blood group system. Accurate and reliable blood group typing is critical before blood transfusion. Serological testing is the routine method for blood group typing based on hemagglutination reactions with RBC antigens against specific antibodies. Nevertheless, emerging technologies for blood group testing may be alternative and supplemental approaches when serological methods cannot determine blood groups. Moreover, some new technologies, such as the evolving applications of blood group genotyping, can precisely identify variant antigens for clinical significance. Therefore, this review mainly presents a clinical overview and perspective of emerging technologies in blood group testing based on the literature. Collectively, this may highlight the most promising strategies and promote blood group typing development to ensure blood transfusion safety.

Scabies is a contagious skin condition caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei mite. It can lead to various clinical reactions, ranging from no symptoms at all to noticeable skin lesions and severe itching within the same household. We aimed to investigate the potential role of blood groups in the emergence of disease symptoms by comparing the scabies patients with asymptomatic co-residents. This study comprised 102 patients infected with scabies from index cases and 111 asymptomatic co-residents. The index cases where symptoms first appeared were excluded. Among patients with scabies, 34 individuals (33.3%) had type A blood group, 12 (11.8%) had type B, 27 (26.5%) had type AB, and 29 (28.4%) had type O. Of these patients, 101 (99%) were Rh+, while 1 (1%) was Rh-. In asymptomatic contacts, 61 individuals (55%) had type A, 9 (8.1%) had type B, 1 (0.9%) had type AB, and 40 (36%) had type O blood group. Of these, 102 (91.9%) were Rh+, and 9 (8.1%) were Rh-. A significant difference was observed between the two groups concerning the frequency of ABO, Rh, and ABO*Rh blood groups ( p  < 0.05). The prevalence of B + and AB + blood groups was higher in scabies patients compared to asymptomatic contacts. The study results showed a significant association between the emergence of scabies symptoms with blood groups. Our results highlight the importance of more research into the roles of blood group antigens in normal skin epithelium and their involvement in the etiopathogenesis of scabies.