ABO Blood Group Status Research Articles

Lack of Association between Parental ABO Blood Type and Autism Spectrum Disorders

Lack of Association between Parental ABO Blood Type and Autism Spectrum Disorders

Association between blood groups and breast cancer subtype.

e11041 Background: The majority of breast carcinomas are the luminal type, which has the higher levels of estrogen receptor, tend to be low grade with a favorable prognosis. Altered glycosylation, a common feature of cancer cells, is related with both expressions of HER2/neu and ABO blood groups. The present study was designed to investigate the association between blood groups and the risk of luminal-type breast cancer. Methods: 1652 patients with breast cancer were analyzed retrospectively. Variables studied included age at diagnosis, menopausal status, estrogen, progesterone and HER2/neu receptor status, TNM stage and ABO blood type with Rh status. Results: Patient age ranged from 20 to 89 years, with a mean 49.1±11.6 years. 48.4% of patients were premenopausal and 45% were postmenopausal. Estrogen receptor (ER) was positive in 71.9%, progesterone receptor (PR) was positive in 72.6% and HER2/neu receptor was positive in 22.1% of the patients. The most frequent blood types in breast cancer were A Rh positive (28.8%), 0 Rh positive (21.3%) and B Rh positive (9.8%), respectively. According to TNM stage, patients with blood group A and 0 had significantly fewer nodal metatasis (p=0.023, p=0.004; respectively), and patients with blood group 0 had significantly smaller tumor size (p=0.048) than other blood subgroups. Patients with blood group 0 had significantly higher levels of ER (p=0.036) and PR (p=0.045). There was no association between HER2/neu status, and ABO blood group or Rh status. Conclusions: Women with breast cancer were more likely to have blood type of A and 0. Blood type of 0 blood was found to be associated with luminal-type breast cancer and an earlier tumor stage. Further studies are required to sort out the relationships between blood types and breast cancer risk and prognosis.

Letter by De Meyer et al Regarding Article “High von Willebrand Factor Levels Increase the Risk of Stroke: The Rotterdam Study”

HomeStrokeVol. 42, No. 3Letter by De Meyer et al Regarding Article “High von Willebrand Factor Levels Increase the Risk of Stroke: The Rotterdam Study” Free AccessLetterPDF/EPUBAboutView PDFView EPUBSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload citationsTrack citationsPermissionsDownload Articles + Supplements ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InMendeleyReddit Jump toSupplemental MaterialFree AccessLetterPDF/EPUBLetter by De Meyer et al Regarding Article “High von Willebrand Factor Levels Increase the Risk of Stroke: The Rotterdam Study” Simon F. De Meyer, Guido Stoll and Christoph Kleinschnitz Simon F. De MeyerSimon F. De Meyer Search for more papers by this author , Guido StollGuido Stoll Search for more papers by this author and Christoph KleinschnitzChristoph Kleinschnitz Search for more papers by this author Originally published3 Feb 2011https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.110.604777Stroke. 2011;42:e41Other version(s) of this articleYou are viewing the most recent version of this article. Previous versions: January 1, 2011: Previous Version 1 To the Editor:With great interest, we read the article by Wieberdink et al, published in the October 2010 issue of Stroke.1 In this relevant study (as part of the Rotterdam Study), the authors investigated the association between plasma levels of von Willebrand factor (VWF) and the overall risk of stroke. To this end, a large population-based cohort of 6250 participants (age ≥55 years) who were free of stroke at baseline was followed for 5 years. Interestingly, the authors found that the risk of stroke increased with increasing VWF levels, independent from conventional cardiovascular risk factors and ABO blood group status; this clearly indicates an association between the amount of circulating VWF and the risk of stroke in this elderly population.While not discussed by the authors, their findings further confirm a critical role for VWF in stroke development, as shown in several recent studies of experimental stroke. Indeed, we recently demonstrated that VWF-deficient mice are protected from ischemic brain injury, evidenced by a dramatic reduction of infarct volume (approximately 60% of the infarct volumes in wild-type controls) and better functional outcome.2 Similar results were obtained in an independent study by Zhao et al.3 Reconstitution of plasma VWF in VWF-deficient mice by hydrodynamic gene transfer fully restored the susceptibility to cerebral ischemia.2 Furthermore, in a study aimed at the identification of crucial VWF interactions in stroke, we demonstrated that in VWF-deficient mice reconstituted with VWF mutants defective in binding to collagen or platelet glycoprotein (GP) Ibα, protection against stroke was sustained; however, VWF lacking the GPIIb/IIIa binding site restored full susceptibility to stroke similar to normal VWF.4 Thus, binding of VWF to both collagen and GPIb (but not to GPIIb/IIIa) are mandatory steps in stroke development. In addition, the central role of VWF in stroke development has recently been underlined by observations that VWF-cleaving protease a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin type 1 repeats, 13 (referred to simply as ADAMTS13), which decreases the thrombogenicity of VWF by cleaving ultralarge VWF multimers into smaller ones, also plays a protective role in cerebral ischemia.3,5Taken together, we are excited to see that the findings of Wieberdink et al in humans nicely fit into the general concept of VWF as an important mediator of experimental stroke. The growing amount of data all point toward VWF as an attractive target for stroke prevention and treatment.Simon F. De Meyer, PhDGuido Stoll, MDChristoph Kleinschnitz, MD Immune Disease Institute Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, and Department of Pathology Harvard Medical School Boston, MA Department of Neurology University of Wuerzburg Wuerzburg, GermanyFootnotesStroke welcomes Letters to the Editor and will publish them, if suitable, as space permits. Letters must reference a Stroke published-ahead-of-print article or an article printed within the past 3 weeks. The maximum length is 750 words including no more than 5 references and 3 authors. Please submit letters typed double-spaced. Letters may be shortened or edited. Include a completed copyright transfer agreement form (available online at http://stroke.ahajournals.org and http://submit-stroke.ahajournals.org).

Perinatal and early life risk factors for inflammatory bowel disease

To investigate associations between perinatal risk factors and subsequent inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in children and young adults. Record linked abstracts of birth registrations, maternity, day case and inpatient admissions in a defined population of southern England. Investigation of 20 perinatal factors relating to the maternity or the birth: maternal age, Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) in the mother, maternal social class, marital status, smoking in pregnancy, ABO blood group and rhesus status, pre-eclampsia, parity, the infant's presentation at birth, caesarean delivery, forceps delivery, sex, number of babies delivered, gestational age, birthweight, head circumference, breastfeeding and Apgar scores at one and five minutes. Maternity records were present for 180 children who subsequently developed IBD. Univariate analysis showed increased risks of CD among children of mothers with CD (P = 0.011, based on two cases of CD in both mother and child) and children of mothers who smoked during pregnancy. Multivariate analysis confirmed increased risks of CD among children of mothers who smoked (odds ratio = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.06-3.92) and for older mothers aged 35+ years (4.81, 2.32-9.98). Multivariate analysis showed that there were no significant associations between CD and 17 other perinatal risk factors investigated. It also showed that, for UC, there were no significant associations with the perinatal factors studied. This study shows an association between CD in mother and child; and elevated risks of CD in children of older mothers and of mothers who smoked.

Lack of Association Between Asthma and ABO Blood Group

ABO is the most important blood group system in transfusion and transplantation practices. Glycosyltransferases are controlled by the ABO system which is helpful in building oligosaccharide structures on the cell surface of erythrocytes and vascular endothelium and in the exocrine secretion system, including the respiratory tract. We analyzed the ABO blood group of 200 children and adults with asthma as well as that of 2000 healthy subjects as controls. The most common blood group among the patients and controls was "O" (43.5% and 43.6%, respectively), followed by B, A, and AB. In the distribution of different blood groups, nonsignificant difference between patients and controls was observed (p = 0.931). We conclude that ABO blood group status has a nonsignificant association with asthma among the population of Mysore, Karnataka, South India.

ABO blood types: Influence on infarct size, procedural characteristics and prognosis

Introduction Patients with non-O blood groups have higher plasma von Willebrand factor (vWF) levels than those with type O. vWF mediates platelet adhesion, aggregation and thrombosis. These considerations likely explain the prior observations that non-O patients have higher rates of arterial and venous thromboembolic events. However, the effect of blood group status on size of MI, procedural findings and outcomes after PCI for MI have not been reported. Methods We analyzed 1198 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction between 10/03 and 8/06, and who had ABO blood group status and clinical follow-up. Results and conclusions Patients with O blood type were slightly older (62 ± 13 vs. 60 ± 13years; p = 0.017) had a higher prevalence of hypercholesterolemia (67% vs. 58%; p = 0.002), and had a higher burden of atherosclerosis with more vascular disease (17% vs. 13%; p = 0.017) and higher prevalence of previous PCI (22% vs. 17%; p = 0.025). Non-O blood group patients had larger infarcts as measured by median peak troponin (33 vs. 24; p = 0.037), total CK (721 vs. 532; p = 0.012) and CK-MB (101 vs. 68; p = 0.010). At PCI, non-O patients had increased visible thrombus and reduced TIMI flow pre-procedure. However, there were no differences in procedural success, in-hospital blood transfusion or occurrence of MACE at 1year follow-up. Our data demonstrate that non-O compared to O blood groups patients have higher thrombus burden despite less extensive atherosclerosis. Nevertheless, outcomes at 1year were similar.

Relationship between ABO and Secretor genotype with plasma levels of factor VIII and von Willebrand factor in thrombosis patients and control individuals

In contrast to earlier reports, this study examined the relationship between plasma levels of factor VIII (FVIII) and von Willebrand factor (VWF) and ABO blood group and secretor status at the genetic level in 355 patients with venous thrombosis as well as in 236 controls. ABO glycosyl transferase alleles A(1) and B were more frequent in the thrombosis collective and alleles O(1), O(2) and A(2) were more frequent in the controls. A low-risk group for venous thrombosis of individuals with genotypes O(1)O(1), O(1)O(2) and O(1)A(2) (H-antigen rich) could be distinguished from a high-risk group with genotypes A(1)A(1), A(1)B, O(1)A(1) and O(1)B (H-antigen poor). In both the thrombosis and control groups, the H-antigen rich group showed significantly lower levels of FVIII coagulant activity (FVIII:C) and VWF antigen (VWF:Ag) than the H-antigen poor group. The frequency of the different secretor genotypes in the thrombosis group was not different from that in the control group. No significant differences of FVIII:C and VWF:Ag levels were seen between SeSe, Sese and sese individuals in the thrombosis and in the control group. Thus the risk of venous thrombosis is associated with the ABO blood group genotype but not with secretor status.

ABO Blood Group and Expression of Antisperm Antibodies in Infertile Couples in Kuwait

Two hundred and fifty infertile couples and 102 fertile controls were evaluated to determine the association between ABO blood group status and seminal blood group substances among infertile couples and expression of circulating antisperm antibodies. Antisperm antibodies occurred in 18.8 and 17.7% of the infertile men and women, compared to 3.9% in the fertile women (p < 0.01). The 23 ABO blood group combinations in the infertile and fertile couples revealed no significant association with infertility except the predominance of B+/O+ spouses in the fertile group (p < 0.03). Although 76.8% of the men were secretors of seminal blood group substances, there was no significant association with development of antisperm antibodies. This shows that ABO blood group is not directly associated with infertility nor antisperm antibody formation.

A rapid molecular method (polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers) to genotype for ABO blood group and secretor status and its potential for organ transplants.

We hypothesize that kidneys from non-secretor blood group A2 donors may be used for transplant into non-A recipients. In addition, we believe that organs from A2 donors may be used in non-A recipients where the anti-A titer is low. In order to reliably identify non-secretor A2 kidneys from cadaver donors, we have developed a rapid molecular method. The PCR-SSP-based method was developed to genotype ABO blood group and secretor status. Samples of known blood group ABO and Lewis phenotype determined by standard serological methods were used to appraise the method. A retrospective renal cadaver donor study was conducted to assess the potential of using A2 non-secretor organs for transplantation into non-A recipients. Phenotype frequencies of blood group A donors were 76% and 24% for A1 and A2 subgroups respectively, whereas 27% of the donor sample population were non-secretors. Three donors were identified as A2 non-secretors, and analysis was performed to theoretically place the organs by considering them as blood group O. These results coupled with a detailed analysis of HLA type and antibody status of our panel suggests that using A2 donors would be a useful adjunct to strategies for transplanting highly sensitized patients and redressing the donor-recipient imbalance in terms of blood group.

SERUM PLACENTAL-TYPE ALKALINE-PHOSPHATASE LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH EPITHELIAL OVARIAN-CARCINOMA

Serum placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP)-type immunoreactivity was measured in 190 women with epithelial ovarian malignancy, 27 women with borderline ovarian cancer and 334 control subjects with non-neoplastic or benign gynaecological disease. Smoking, ABO blood group and menopausal status affect serum concentrations of PLAP and results were corrected for these. Circulating levels were elevated in patients with cancer and increased with stage. Levels were unaltered in borderline ovarian disease. Two-year stage corrected survival analysis demonstrated a significant worsening of prognosis in patients with serum PLAP-type levels greater than the 100th centile for controls.

Results of heart-lung transplantation in children with cystic fibrosis

Children with cystic fibrosis represent the largest group referred for, and undergoing, heart-lung transplantation at our institute. Between June 1988 and July 1993, 76 patients were accepted for transplantation, of whom 25 were transplanted, while a further 36 died waiting. Those transplanted ranged from 5-18 years of age and included 13 males and 12 females. Organs were used from donors matched by ABO blood group, size and cytomegalovirus (CMV) status. Post-transplant maintenance immunosuppression comprised cyclosporin A, azathioprine and prednisolone. Anti-thymocyte globulin and high dose methylprednisolone were given peri-operatively and for acute rejection episodes. Actuarial survival was 67% at 1 year, 61% at 2 years and 54% at 3 years. Obliterative bronchiolitis (OB) has occurred in 13 patients (52%) and was the major cause of mortality and morbidity. In three patients, OB was associated with the development of tracheal anastomotic stenosis. Other complications included diabetes mellitus (n = 9), pancreatitis (n = 1) and hypertension (n = 8). Despite these problems, those surviving the first year post-transplant showed a mean FEV1 of 71% (compared to 29% pre-transplant) and enjoyed an overall improved quality of life.

Fucosyl-GM1 in small-cell lung cancer. A comparison with the tumour marker neuron-specific enolase

Recently, the ganglioside Fucosyl-GM1 (FucGM1) has been described as a possible new tumour marker for small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). FucGM1 has been detected in 75% to 90% of SCLC tumours by immunohistochemical analysis and in about 50% of sera from SCLC patients. Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) is a glycolytic enzyme which is expressed in the majority of SCLC tumours and patient sera. Sera from 156 patients with SCLC were analyzed for FucGM1 with a scintillation proximity assay (SPA), which is a simple and sensitive analysis. Sera were analyzed before the initiation of chemotherapy, and twenty patients were monitored during and after treatment. The concentration of FucGM1 was compared to the tumour marker NSE and related to clinical data and survival. Sixty-three per cent of the patients were positive for FucGM1. The concentrations did not correlate with NSE or clinical data including stage of disease, organ site of metastases or ABO blood group status. Nor did the expression of FucGM1 correlate with survival. As a monitor of clinical response, a correlation was found in 8 out of 20 patients. Eighty-four per cent of the patients were positive for NSE; and 97% were positive for either FucGM1 or NSE. We conclude that FucGM1 does not have a clinical role as a tumour marker for patients with SCLC at diagnosis or during treatment.

Expression of type-2 histo-blood group carbohydrate antigens (Le(x), Le(y), and H) in normal and malignant human endometrium.

Changes in expression of histo-blood group ABH and Lewis antigens are common alterations in carcinomas. Using immunohistochemistry, we have evaluated the expression of type-2 histo-blood group antigens in normal and malignant endometrial tissues in relation to genetic and hormonal factors. The Le(x), sialosyl-Le(x), and Le(y) antigens were inconstantly expressed in the normal endometrium. The expression was uninfluenced by the secretor status but was related to the ABO blood group status in Oestradiol (E2) stimulated endometria. Le(y) was expressed most frequently in proliferating endometria from blood group 0 individuals. Le(x) and Le(y) were maximally expressed in atrophic endometria, and Le(x) and Le(y) staining scores correlated inversely with serum levels of E2 in normal, non-secretory endometria. No correlation was found in adenomatous hyperplasias and endometrial carcinomas, which when compared with atrophic endometria, showed a loss of Le(x) and Le(y) and an increased H-carbohydrate expression at apical membranes. Carcinomas from non-secretors showed lower expression of Le(y) and H-antigens than carcinomas from secretors. Our findings suggest that the genetic and hormonal influence on glycosylation based on type-2 chain carbohydrates differ between normal and malignant endometrium. This difference is probably related to specific tumour-associated qualitative and quantitative changes in the fucosyltransferases.

Triglyceride fatty acid chain length influences the post prandial rise in serum intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity.

Intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IALP) activity rises following the ingestion of a fat-containing meal. Previous studies on intestinal fluid and lymph have shown that the magnitude of this response is dependent upon fatty acid chain length. To examine this relation in the serum of healthy humans, 10 subjects consumed two standardized fat meals. One meal contained predominantly long chain fatty acid triglycerides, the other contained predominantly medium chain fatty acid triglycerides. Serum IALP activity was measured in serial blood samples using a sensitive immunological assay. IALP activity was ABO blood group and secretor status dependent. The post-prandial rise in serum IALP activity was significantly greater following the long chain fatty acid meal than following the medium chain fatty acid meal. Previous observations of the fatty acid chain length dependency of the IALP response to fat ingestion, therefore, also apply in the serum of healthy humans under normal physiological conditions. Standardized fat meals provide the basis of a useful method for the investigation of the role of IALP in fat absorption.

Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against tissue specific epitopes on ABO blood group substances in saliva

Mouse monoclonal antibodies (P4-2F, P4-5C) against ABO blood group substances in saliva were produced by immunization with ABO blood group active-glycoprotein after ethanol precipitation from heated saliva. These antibodies bound to saliva, irrespective of the ABO blood group and secretor status. Saliva diluted at least 3.2 x 10(4)-fold could be detected by ELISA using these antibodies. Tissue and species specificity of the antibodies was tested by ELISA and counterimmunoelectrophoresis and showed that the antibodies were specific for human saliva. By immunoblotting of the deglycosylated ABO blood group substances it was evident that the epitopes for the antibodies were localized on the core protein of blood group substances in saliva. These antibodies could be extremely suitable reagents for the identification of saliva in medico-legal examinations. Furthermore, they may be used as capture antibodies in sandwich methods for ABO blood grouping of saliva from mixtures of body fluids.

ABO blood group, secretor status and detection ofHelicobacter pyloriamong patients with gastric or duodenal ulcers

Patients (454) referred for gastroscopy to the General Hospital of Athens were examined to determine (1) if non-secretors were over-represented among patients with ulcers and (2) if there was an association with ABO blood group or secretor status and carriage of Helicobacter pylori. Compared with the local population, among patients with either gastric ulcer (51) or duodenal ulcer (96) there was a significant increase in the proportion of those who were blood group O (P less than 0.025); however, there were no significant differences in the proportions of non-secretors. H. pylori was identified in 62% of the 454 patients: 59.5% of those without evidence of ulcers; 62.5% of those with gastric ulcer; 88% of those with duodenal ulcer (P less than 0.0005). These bacteria were cultured more often and in higher numbers from patients with duodenal ulcer (P less than 0.025). There was no association between ABO blood group and prevalence of H. pylori. The prevalence of H. pylori among non-secretors with gastric ulcer (12.5%) was significantly lower than that for non-secretors with duodenal ulcer (100%) (P less than 0.0005). This was not observed for secretors.

ABO Blood Group Differences in Bone Mineral Density of Recovering Alcoholic Males

Since ABO blood group differences are associated with varying responses to many diseases, ABO blood type and bone density were studied in 39 recovering male alcoholics, comparing those with blood type O and non-O. The type O subjects had significantly higher bone densities as measured by quantitative computed tomography of the vertebrae than the non-O subjects (175.4 +/- 8.5 and 140.7 +/- 7.6, respectively, p = 0.004). There were no differences in age and indices of their alcoholism. Using multiple stepwise regression analysis, neither race nor maximal amount of alcohol consumed appeared to contribute to the differences in bone density. Only age, number of years of regular alcohol use and ABO blood type were determinants of the bone density differences. The ABO blood type contributed 20.3% to the differences in bone density (p = 0.001). The patients with non-O blood type lost a significant amount of bone with advancing age (r = -0.76, p = 0.0001) while those with blood type O did not (r = -0.37, p = 0.11). We conclude that, although alcoholism is a factor in the development of osteopenia, in males the ABO blood group status plays a significant role in the maximal mineralization of the skeleton and the amount of bone resorption during ageing, independent of alcohol abuse.

Effect of ABO Blood Group and Secretor Status on the Frequency ofHelicobacter pyloriAntibodies

Duodenal ulcer is associated with such genetic characteristics as blood group O and secretor status. Since Helicobacter pylori has been proved to be an important factor in the pathogenesis of duodenal ulcer, we wanted to study whether the frequency of H. pylori antibodies would vary in individuals with different blood group antigens. Antibodies against H. pylori were determined in 271 blood donors. Acid glycine extract from an H. pylori strain was used as antigen in enzyme immunoassay. Our results suggested no significant association of increased level of H. pylori antibodies with ABO blood group and secretor status, which implies that H. pylori infection is not associated with the ABO group and secretor status. Thus H. pylori and blood group antigens seem to be independently linked to duodenal ulcer.

Blood group, secretor status and susceptibility to bacterial meningitis

Epidemiological evidence is summarized for associations of ABO blood group and secretor status with susceptibility to invasive disease due to capsulate organisms responsible for the majority of bacterial meningitis. Host-parasite interactions that might underly these findings are proposed and evidence to support or refute them provided.

Blood group, secretor status and susceptibility to bacterial meningitis

Epidemiological evidence is summarized for associations of ABO blood group and secretor status with susceptibility to invasive disease due to capsulate organisms responsible for the majority of bacterial meningitis. Host-parasite interactions that might underly these findings are proposed and evidence to support or refute them provided.