To date, scientists have identified a total of 46 different blood group systems - Illustration: AFP
In 1972, doctors discovered that a blood sample from a pregnant woman lacked an antigen that was present on the surface of all other red blood cells known at the time.
After more than 50 years, this strange anomaly has led a team of British and Israeli researchers to a new blood group system for humans.
"This is a huge achievement and the fruit of the team's long-term efforts to finally discover a new blood group system that could provide the best possible care for these rare but vital patients," said hematologist Louise Tilley, who works at the UK's National Health Service (NHS). Tilley has been researching this mystery for almost 20 years.
We often hear about the ABO blood group system (including blood groups A, B, AB, and O) along with the Rh factor (+ and -). However, humans actually have many different blood group systems based on the diversity of antigens on the surface of red blood cells.
According to ScienceAlert on September 18th, as of November 2023, the International Society for Blood Transfusion (ISBT) had recorded a total of 45 different blood group systems, including the Er blood group system discovered in 2022. After unraveling the mystery mentioned above, we now have another new blood group system called MAL.
Discovering a new blood group system is very difficult because cases of this type of genetic mutation are rare. The AnWj antigen, which was absent in the blood of pregnant women in 1972, is present in over 99.9% of people worldwide . This antigen exists on myelin protein and lymphocytes, so the research team named the blood group system MAL.
When a person has both copies of the MAL gene mutated, they will have the AnWj- blood type, like the pregnant woman in 1972. Interestingly, all patients with the AnWj- blood type have the same mutation.
The research team has now identified the genetic markers responsible for MAL mutations. Patients with this blood type can be tested to confirm whether their AnWj- blood type is inherited or suppressed (caused by certain blood disorders).
The research team said that the better we understand the characteristics of rare blood group systems, the more lives we can save.
The study was published in the journal Blood of the American Hematological Society.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/phat-hien-he-nhom-mau-moi-o-nguoi-20240919125338222.htm
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