ABO Blood Group Is Associated with Response to Inhaled Nitric Oxide in Neonates with Respiratory Failure

Background

Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) reduces death or need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in infants with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). However, the response to iNO is variable and only 50–60% of infants demonstrate a response to iNO. It is not known why only some infants respond to iNO. Adults and children with blood groups B or AB do not respond as well to iNO as those with blood groups O/A.

Methods/Principal Findings

To determine if blood group was associated with iNO response in newborn infants, a retrospective medical record review was done of infants admitted to a regional NICU from 2002-9 with a diagnosis of PPHN. Data were collected during the first twelve hours post-initiation of treatment. Of 86 infants diagnosed with PPHN, 23 infants had blood group A [18 received iNO], 21 had group B [18 with iNO], 40 had group O [36 with iNO], and 2 had group AB [both received iNO]. Change in PaO₂/FiO₂ was less in infants with blood group A, of whom less than half were responders (ΔPaO₂/FiO₂>20%) at 12 h versus 90% of infants with either O or B. Race, sex, birth weight, gestational age, Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes, and baseline PaO₂/FiO₂ were similar among groups. Outcomes including need for ECMO, death, length of ventilatory support, length of iNO use, and hospital stay were statistically not different by blood groups.

Conclusions/Significance

Our results indicate that blood group influences iNO response in neonates. We hypothesize that either there is genetic linkage of the ABO gene locus with vasoregulatory genes, or that blood group antigens directly affect vascular reactivity.     

An unusual case of blood group ABO inheritance: O from AB X O

An unusual blood group inheritance, that is, a phenotype O child from AB X O parents, was found in a Japanese family. Since two other children from the parents are blood type B, this is not a case of Cis-AB inheritance. The mother is not blood A/B chimera, and normal levels of blood group N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (A-enzyme) and galactosyltransferase (B-enzyme) were detected in her plasma. Therefore, the mother is genetically true AB heterozygous. The two sons with phenotype B had normal levels of plasma B-enzyme, but had no A-enzyme, and the father and the daughter with phenotype O had neither A- nor B-enzyme in their plasma. The analyses of 24 genetic marker systems indicated that the O daughter was a true child of the parents. The affirmative probability of parentage on the O daughter was calculated to be .9999999917 by Bayes' theorem. We concluded that the genotype of the O daughter was not the usual 00, and that this rare O expression might be due to a new structural mutation or a deletion in either maternal A or B gene during oogenesis.     

贵州三都地区水族人群ABO血型分布

随机抽样贵州省三都水族自治县水族人群500例,进行ABO血型的检测分析。调查结果为：（1）水族的ABO血型分布为A型占29.41%,B型占22.06%,O型占44.12%,AB型占4.41%;特征为O>A>B>AB。基因频率是p=01871,q=01430,r=06699;特征为r>p>q。（2）水族ABO血型分布的民族指数为1.278。此次调查贵州省三都的水族具有较高的O基因频率,具有典型的南方人群结构特征。调查结果基本上与以前的文献资料相符,且符合我国省区血型频数分布规律。     

The human-ABO blood groups of free-ranging long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) and parapatric rhesus macaques (M. mulatta) in Thailand

BACKGROUND: Long-tailed and rhesus macaques are widely used in biomedical research; therefore, the known blood group is important. METHODS: The human-type ABO blood group was determined in wild or semi-wild long-tailed and rhesus macaques in Thailand. A total of 729 long-tailed and 160 rhesus macaques from 20 localities were temporarily caught. RESULTS: The frequency profiles of blood groups, calculated by averaging the frequency of each troop in long-tailed and rhesus macaques, were AB > O > B > A at 29.6%, 27.4%, 27.2%, and 15.8%, and B > AB > A > O at 39.6%, 33.4%, 18.2%, and 8.8%, respectively. Irrespective of locality, the frequencies were AB > O > B > A of 29.6%, 28.0%, 24.4%, and 18.0%, and AB > B > A > O of 37.5%, 28.7%, 26.9%, and 6.9%, respectively, for all long-tailed and rhesus macaques. The frequency profile of blood groups in Thai rhesus macaques was somewhat similar to that in the parapatric long-tailed macaques; however, it was different from other rhesus populations where only group B was detected. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support the hypothesis that Indochinese rhesus macaques are hybrids between rhesus and long-tailed macaques in the past.     

Weitere Untersuchungsergebnisse zur Frage der unterschiedlichen Verteilung der ABO-Blutgruppen bei erstgeborenen und nachgeborenen Kindern

Summary The ABO blood group distribution among 1284 first-born children is compared with the frequency of the blood groups among 2388 later-born children. Among the later-born children the blood group O is more frequent, whereas the blood groups B and AB are rarer. From the fifth child on both the increase of the blood group O and the decrease of the groups B and AB become more evident. The total frequency of boys is practically the same both in the different blood groups and in the sum of all first and later-born children. Within the blood group O, however, boys are predominating among the first-born children, but are less numerous among the later-born children. Within the blood group AB on the contrary there is a lack of boys among the first-born children and an excess of boys among the later-born children. The same distribution but to a smaller extent might be found within the blood group B among a not selected material. In the same way the change of the sexual distribution seems to rise with the increasing number of children, as it appears from the rate from the fifth child onward.

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(Ärztl. Leiter: Prim. Dr. W. Kircher)     

Blood group and height in a multiethnic population

In a sample of 4,472 boys, aged 17-18 years, resident in Jerusalem, those with blood groups B or AB tended to be slightly shorter than groups O and A (p = 0.011). Participants were classified into 8 groups according to father's country of origin: Israel, Southern Europe/Balkans, rest of Europe, North Africa, Iraq, Iran, Yemen and the rest of Asia. The association of ABO blood group, classified according to the presence of the B antigen (groups B and AB) or its absence (O and A), with height differed in the 8 origin groups (p = 0.026 for interaction). In 7 of the 8 groups, subjects with the B allele were either shorter or of equal height to groups O and A and in only one instance were they taller. These findings do not support the generalizability of a positive association of the presence of the B antigen with height suggested by Borecki et al. [1985].     

Influence of the blood group reactive substances in saliva on the aggregation of Streptococcus rattus

The interaction of blood group reactive substances in saliva with bacteria was investigated by testing saliva from persons with different blood groups in a bacterial aggregation assay with Streptococcus rattus HG 59, originally S. rattus BHT. For blood group A, saliva from 10 persons out of 11 aggregated S. rattus and for blood group O, saliva from 10 persons out of 16 aggregated S. rattus. For blood group B, saliva from 6 persons out of 8 aggregated S. rattus weakly and the average aggregation activity of blood group B was much lower than for blood group A or O. In addition, saliva from 3 non-secretors did not aggregate S. rattus. The role of blood group antigens in bacterial aggregation was confirmed by inhibition studies with blood group specific sugars and various other sugars. GalNAc, specific for blood group A, inhibited bacterial aggregation by saliva whereas D-galactose, specific for blood group B, and D-fucose, specific for blood group O, did not. In addition, sialic acid, a major terminal sugar residue in mucins, also inhibited the bacterial aggregation. This study shows that the blood group and secretor status of a person may influence the interaction of saliva with bacteria in the oral cavity.     

Carbohydrate content of human erythrocyte membrane. Variations with ABO-blood group.

The study of the carbohydrates of human erythrocyte membranes has been mainly focused on their glycopeptidic and glycolipidic complexes. Modifications of these carbohydrates have been described in subjects with various pathological states. In order to characterize possible changes of the glycopeptides, or glycolipids obtained from erythrocyte membrane in various pathological situations, the determination of the carbohydrate content of the whole membrane appeared a necessary preliminary. This study concerns the determination of the normal values of the main carbohydrates of whole human erythrocyte membranes, with respect to their blood group. Erythrocyte membranes were prepared from donors of the four ABO blood groups. After acidic hydrolysis, the contents of fucose, mannose, galactose, glucose, glucosamine, galactosamine and N-acetylneuraminic acid in each blood group were determined and compared with one another. The galactosamine content of A, B and AB erythrocyte membranes is significantly higher than that of the O-erythrocyte. For galactose, the differences are significant for the following pairs: A/O; B/O; AB/O; A/B; A/AB. Significant differences in the mannose contents of O-erythrocytes and A, B and AB erythrocytes have also been found. This result suggests that a basic difference, in the core of the oligosaccharide chains, may exist between O and A, B, AB erythrocyte membranes.     

Blood groups of the ABO system of chronic carriers of typhoid bacteria and typhoid patients in Uzbekistan]

Blood groups of the ABO system were studied in 186 chronic carriers of typhoid bacilli and in 392 patients with typhoid fever from various districts of the Uzbek SSR. In comparison with control (healthy persons), carriers displayed a higher percentage of persons with A (II) blood group (50.88 and 42.64 against 37.51 and 32.13 in control) and a lesser percentage of persons with the O (I) blood group (21.05 and 22.48 against 32.93 and 32.07 in control). These data demonstrated that predisposition of persons with the A (II) blood group to chronic typhoid carrier state was characteristic of the Asian part of the country. In comparison with control, there were significantly less persons with the O (I) blood group and more with the AB (IV) blood group. Possible correlative mechanisms between the blood group and the typhoid infection and the development of chronic typhoid carrier state is discussed.     

Cytogenetic analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes of workers occupationally exposed to styrene

The genetic risk run by workers occupationally exposed to styrene vapors was assessed in two different plants A and B, using the cytogenetic analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes. In plant A engaged in the manufacture of polystyrene vessels the mean styrene exposure level was found to range between 70 and 150 mg . m-3, in plant B manufacturing sports boats, plastic slides for children and plastic guard-stones it reached the level of about 200 mg . m-3. The rate of aberrant cells (AB.C.) found in plant A workers (N = 36) at the time of first sampling was 1.38% and the value of break/cell (B/C) ratio was 0.015; at the second sampling the rate of AB.C. was 1.41% and the B/C ratio was 0.014. The group of matched controls (N = 19) was found to have 1.26% of AB.C. and 0.014 breaks per cell. Plant B workers (N = 22) exhibited at the first sampling 1.72% of AB.C. and their value of B/C ratio was 0.018, the group of matched controls (N = 22) had 1.36% of AB.C and the B/C ratio 0.015; the respective values at the time of second sampling were 2.81% for AB.C. rate and 0.029 for B/C ratio in the exposed and 1.89% for AB.C. rate and 0.021 for B/C ratio in the control group. It is concluded that styrene exposure levels below 100 mg . m-3 do not pose any serious genetic risk for the exposed population groups. The variations found in the degree of chromosome injury by smoking habits, drug intake pattern, or sex were not statistically significant.     

Clinico-immunological characteristics of dysentery in persons with different blood groups]

The authors studied the frequency of distribution of the ABO system blood groups in 392 adults and 322 children suffering from acute dysentery. X2 criterion and double-factor dispersion analysis were used for statistical analysis. Deficiency of persons with B III and AB IV blood group. Phagocytosis indices were decreased in them with the elevated neutrophil damage index.     

Distribution of blood-group-related carbohydrate antigens on oral endothelial cells

Summary Recent studies indicate that carbohydrate structures are involved in various endothelial functions such as inflammatory processes, adhesion of metastatic cells to endothelium and endothelial differentiation. In this paper we report the endothelial expression of various blood-group-related carbohydrate structures in normal oral mucosa using 15 different monoclonal antibodies reacting with type 1, 2 or 3 carbohydrate chains. Twenty biopsies, including normal oral mucosa, from secretor individuals comprised nine blood group O, nine A, one B and one AB. Endothelial staining was compared with epithelial staining in the same biopsies. Five blood-group-related carbohydrate antigens were detected on endothelial cells. The H type 2 antigen, which is the precursor of A, B and AB antigens, has previously been believed to be a universal marker for endothelial cells. All blood group O individuals (n = 9) showed strong H antigen staining in the endothelium of most vessels. However, of blood group A, B and AB individuals (n = 11), four showed heterogenous H antigen staining. In addition, we found that six out of ten blood group A or AB individuals, who expressed A or A and B antigens on spinous squamous cells and glandular epithelium, showed either heterogenous or no staining for these structures on their endothelial cells. It is concluded that there are differences between the biosynthesis of blood-group-related carbohydrate antigens in oral endothelium and epithelium.     

Significance of persons with different blood groups in the influenza type A epidemic process

To study the susceptibility of persons with different blood groups to influenza A, the presence of infection in a group of young children placed under constant observation for 6 years (1974-1980) and in a group of donors observed during 1979-1980 was studied in different epidemic situations. The susceptibility of the persons under observation to type A influenza viruses was shown to depend both on the blood group of the subjects and on the properties of circulating viruses. Persons with group B (III) blood were more susceptible to the virus at the period when new antigenic variants and serotypes appeared, persons with group O (I) blood were more susceptible to influenza infection at the period of the circulation of virulent strains, while persons with group A (II) blood were more susceptible at the period when less virulent strains circulated. The susceptibility of persons with different blood groups was found to change as changes in the properties of the strains occurred in the process of their circulation.     

Blood group A and B glycosyltransferases synthesize A and B determinants on different acceptor polyglycosyl peptidesin vitro

The glycosylation of polyglycosyl chains from human erythrocytes by human plasma blood group A and B glycosyltransferases was studied in order to clarify why human blood group AB erythrocyte polyglycosyl peptides carry only either A or B determinants [Eur J Biochem (1981) 113:259–65].The blood group A transferase was able to add radioactiveN-acetylgalactosamine from labeled UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine to B-type erythrocytes which had been treated with -galactosidase in order to cleave the B determinant sugar from the erythrocytes. This suggests that the enzymes specified by theA andB genes utilize the same acceptor molecules on erythrocyte membranes. Polyglycosyl peptides isolated from blood group B erythrocytes acted as acceptors for blood group A glycosyltransferase and the generation of hybrid structures containing both A and B determinants was demon-strated. When blood group O polyglycosyl peptides were used as acceptors in the simultaneous presence of both blood group A and B glycosyltransferases, however, the A and B determinant sugars were found in different polyglycosyl peptides. It is suggested that the enzyme-acceptor complex does not dissociate until the final number of determinants has been added.     

Identification of capillaries in sections from skeletal muscle by use of lectins and monoclonal antibodies reacting with histo-blood group ABH antigens

This study was performed to evaluate the application of different lectins and monoclonal antibodies against ABH antigens to detect and characterize carbohydrate structures in capillaries of skeletal muscle from humans and laboratory animals. Blood group specific lectins (Griffonia simplicifolia, Griffonia simplicifolia isolectin B4,Lotus tetragonlobus, Ulex europaeus, andDolichos biflorus) and monoclonal antibodies reacting with histo-blood group carbohydrate antigens belonging to type 1 (Le^a) and type 2 (H, A and Le^y) chains were used as histological markers for capillaries in sections from skeletal muscle. The material consisted of 20 human masseter muscle biopsies from individuals with known blood types: (eight blood group O, nine blood group A, two blood group B, and one blood group AB) and masseter muscles specimens from different laboratory animals (mouse, rat, rabbit, cat, dog, pig, cow, and macaca monkey). Unfixed sections and an avidin alkaline phosphatase method were used to visualize the specific reaction.Ulex lectin stained capillaries in all human biopsies either strongly or moderately. Strong muscle capillary reaction was observed in biopsies from O, B and AB individuals while capillaries from A individuals were only moderately stained.Griffonia simplicifolia marked capillaries in A, B, and AB individuals andGriffonia simplicifolia isolectin B4 stained capillaries in muscle biopsies from B and AB donors.Dolichos biflorus was a weak marker of muscle capillaries from A individuals. Only capillaries from O individuals were stained with the antibody against H type 2. Capillary reaction was not observed with the other antibodies used.Girffonia simplicifolia was an excellent marker for capillaries in mouse muscle whileGriffonia simplicifolia isolectin B4 is recommended for rat muscles. Periodic acid treatment and subsequentLotus tetragonolobus staining is suitable to visualize capillaries in mouse, rat and pig muscle. Using a sensitive histochemical technique for staining with lectins and monoclonal antibodies reacting with blood group related antigens the microvascular density in human skeletal muscle may be estimated. Further, the carbohydrate compounds in the muscle capillaries reflect the individual blood type. A selection of lectins is suitable for demonstration of capillaries in animal skeletal muscle.     

Lectin binding patterns in normal, metaplastic, and neoplastic gastric mucosa.

We investigated lectin binding patterns on tissue specimens of normal and metaplastic gastric surface mucosae, gastric adenomas, and intestinal and diffuse-type gastric carcinomas. Compared with normal gastric mucosa, metaplastic mucosa exhibited an increase of ConA binding and decreases of WGA, PNA, UEA-1, and DBA binding in the cytoplasm, and decreases of ConA, PNA, and UEA-1 binding at the luminal surface. Intestinal carcinomas were similar to metaplastic gastric surface mucosa in ConA, WGA, and UEA-1 binding in the cytoplasm, while diffuse-type carcinomas were similar to normal gastric mucosa in WGA and UEA-1 binding in the cytoplasm. Adenomas were similar to intestinal carcinomas in ConA and UEA-1 binding in the cytoplasm, but were different from intestinal carcinomas in Con A and UEA-1 binding at the luminal surface. For UEA-1, normal and metaplastic gastric surface mucosae did not show a significant difference between the blood type A, AB, B group and the O group. Intestinal and diffuse carcinomas and adenomas also did not show such a difference between the blood groups. For DBA, normal gastric surface mucosa showed a significant difference between the blood type B, O group and the A, AB group. Normal gastric mucosa of the blood type A, AB group was frequently positive for DBA binding in the cytoplasm and at the luminal surface. Metaplastic mucosa did not show a significant difference between the blood groups. Intestinal and diffuse-type carcinomas and adenomas also did not show a difference between the blood groups. DBA binding in the cytoplasm of intestinal carcinomas and adenomas was more frequently positive than that of normal and metaplastic mucosae, except for normal gastric mucosa of the blood type A, AB group. Compared with diffuse-type carcinomas, intestinal carcinomas were accompanied by a significant increase of ConA binding and decreases of WGA and PNA binding in the cytoplasm.     

Family study and frequency of blood group with strong B transferase accompanied by decreased A and H antigens

Subgroups of type A blood, named A1, A2, and A1-A2 intermediate (Aint), are specifically characterized by their peculiar A alleles and have their own A1-, A2- or Aint-forms of alpha-N-acetyl-D-galactosaminyltransferase (A-transferase). It is known, however, that certain type A2B persons exhibit A1-transferase. The reason may be an unusual alpha-galactosyltransferase (B-transferase). This strong B-transferase competes with A-transferase for the substrate, H antigen, so as to decrease the A and H antigens on the red cells. We studied this blood group over three generations and found that the strong B-transferase is, in fact, inherited with the B gene and is dominant over normal B-transferase. In AB blood groups in Tokyo, the frequency of people with a strong B-transferase is 5% for A1B and 22% for A2B. This enzyme does not always cause weak H or A antigens.     

Metabolic changes in blood in pulmonary tuberculosis patients from various blood groups

285 Patients suffering from the respiratory tract organs primary tuberculosis were subjected to the tests on definition of blood groups according to AB0 system, as well as its total proteolytic activity, alpha 1-antitrypsin, ceruloplasmin, general haptoglobin, lysozyme, malonic dialdehyde and diene conjugates levels were estimated. The sick persons as compared with the healthy ones were defined to reveal a tendency to increase of the persons with 0(I)- and B(III)-blood groups and decrease of those ones with A(II)-groups. Independently on the pulmonary tuberculosis patients phenotypic index their tested blood biochemical indices levels increase. As an exception is the proteolytic activity of the persons with B(III)- blood group, and also alpha 1-antitrypsin and lysozyme--with 0(I) and AB(IV) groups, in this case their rates failed to exceed the norm confidential interval. The blood metabolic parameters were defined as independent on its group.     

Changes in the expression of blood-group carbohydrates during oral mucosal development in human fetuses

Abstract. The distribution of blood group carbohydrate chains with antigen A, B, H type 2 chain (A and B precursor), and N-acetyllactosamine (H type 2 precursor) specificity was studied in human oral epithelium from different anatomical regions. These represented various epithelial differentiation patterns such as non-keratinized, parakeratinized, and orthokeratinized stratified squamous epithelium. The material included buccal and palatal epithelium from 20 persons with blood group A or O, gingival, and alveolar epithelium from 10 persons with blood group A or B, and buccal metaplastically keratinized epithelium from nine blood group A, two blood group B, and nine blood group O individuals. The blood group carbohydrate chains were examined in tissue sections by immunofluorescence microscopy. The A and B blood group antigens were detected by human blood group sera, and antigen H type 2 chains and N-acetyllactosamine by murine monoclonal antibodies. Each antigen showed a similar staining pattern in buccal and alveolar epithelium (non-keratinized) which differed considerably from that seen in palatal and gingival epithelium (ortho- and parakeratinized). The expression of blood group antigens A or B and the precursor antigen H type 2 chains in metaplastically keratinized buccal epithelium was found to differ significantly from that seen in normal non-keratinized buccal epithelium. The regional variations demonstrated in cell surface carbohydrates are suggested to reflect differences in tissue differentiation.     

Regional variations of cell surface carbohydrates in human oral stratified epithelium

The distribution of blood group carbohydrate chains with antigen A, B, H type 2 chain (A and B precursor), and N-acetyllactosamine (H type 2 precursor) specificity was studied in human oral epithelium from different anatomical regions. These represented various epithelial differentiation patterns such as non-keratinized, parakeratinized, and orthokeratinized stratified squamous epithelium. The material included buccal and palatal epithelium from 20 persons with blood group A or O, gingival, and alveolar epithelium from 10 persons with blood group A or B, and buccal metaplastically keratinized epithelium from nine blood group A, two blood group B, and nine blood group O individuals. The blood group carbohydrate chains were examined in tissue sections by immunofluorescence microscopy. The A and B blood group antigens were detected by human blood group sera, and antigen H type 2 chains and N-acetyllactosamine by murine monoclonal antibodies. Each antigen showed a similar staining pattern in buccal and alveolar epithelium (non-keratinized) which differed considerably from that seen in palatal and gingival epithelium (ortho- and parakeratinized). The expression of blood group antigens A or B and the precursor antigen H type 2 chains in metaplastically keratinized buccal epithelium was found to differ significantly from that seen in normal non-keratinized buccal epithelium. The regional variations demonstrated in cell surface carbohydrates are suggested to reflect differences in tissue differentiation.