What type of antibodies are produced? IgG? IgM? Both?

IgM antibodies produced on ABO blood group antigens present in the serum. The
associated anti-A antibodies and anti-B antibodies are usually IgM antibodies,
which are usually produced in the first years of life by sensitization to
environmental substances such as food, bacteria and viruses.

Can the system be the cause of a HTR(Haemolytic

Transfusion Reaction) or HNBD(Haemolytic Disease of
the Newborne)?

Yes, but the ABO blood group incompatibilities between the mother and child
does not usually cause hemolytic disease of the newborn (HNBD) because
antibodies in the ABO blood groups are usually IgM type, which do not cross the
placenta. HDN may occur if a group O mother has more than one pregnancy with
a child with blood group A, B, or AB. Most cases are mild and do not require
treatment.

Anti-A is found in the serum of people with blood groups O and B. Anti-B is found
in the serum of people with blood groups O and A. Antibody reactivity Capable of
hemolysis
Anti-A and anti-B bind to RBCs and activate the complement cascade, which
lyses the RBCs while they are still in the circulation (intravascular
hemolysis).Transfusion reaction typically causes an acute hemolytic transfusion
reaction(HTR) . However, sometimes IgG ABO antibodies are produced and a
baby can develop ABO hemolytic disease of the newborn (HNBD).

Is there any other information specific for the system?

Importance of ABO system:

ABO system is the first blood group system discovered because antibodies to
the antigens a person does not have are in the serum.it is the most important
blood group system for transfusion practice. From the table below you can
understand what that means.
 BLOOD GROUP ANTIGEN ANTIBODY
A A anti-B
B B anti-A
AB A and B neither
O neither anti-A or anti-B anti-A,B

Above are the four blood groups and the antigens and the expected, naturally-
occurring antibodies present.

ABO grouping is required for all of the following individuals:

• Blood Donors-since it can be life threatening to give the wrong ABO

group to the patient.
• Transfusion recipients-since we need to know the donor blood is ABO
compatible.
• Transplant Candidates and Donors-ABO antigens are found in other
tissues as well. Therefore the transplant candidates and donors must be
compatible.
• Prenatal Patients-To determine whether the mothers may have babies
who are suffering from ABO-HDN. It is also beneficial to know the ABO
group should she start hemorrhaging.
• Newborns (sometimes) If the baby is demonstrating symptoms of
Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn, the ABO group needs to be
determined along with Rh and others.
• Paternity testing Since the inheritance of the ABO Blood Group System is
very specific, this serves as one of the first methods to determine the
likelihood that the accused father is the father or not.

ABO typing:
ABO typing involves both antigen typing and antibody detection. The antigen
typing is referred to the forward typing and the antibody detection is the reverse
typing.

Routine ABO Typing

Reaction of Cells Red Cell Reaction of Serum Tested Reverse

Tested With ABO Against ABO
Group Group
Anti-A Anti-B A1 Cells B Cells
0 0 O + + O
 + 0 A 0 + A
0 + B + 0 B
+ + AB 0 0 AB

Characteristics of ABO antigens:

Blood group antigens found on the red cell membrane. The most common ABO
antigens are Anti-A and Anti- B which derived from common precursors H antigen
or H substance. The H antigen is carbohydrate sequence with carbohydrates
linked to protein. In this system there are O, A, B, AB groups. In O group, H
substance is not changed but in consist of beta-D-galactose, beta-D-N-
Acetylglucosamine, beta-D-galactose, and 2-linked, alpha-L-fucose, the
chain being attached to the protein . In case of A or B antigens H antigens can be
changed into A and B antigens. Group A has alpha-N-Acetyl-D-galactosamine
bounded to D-galactose whereas group B has alpha-D-galactose bounded to
D-galactose at the end. The H antigen is present on all red cells except some
very rare individuals who have the genotype hh. These people are said to have
the Bombay phenotype (Oh). Because they can not make H substance, the
sugars for A and B can not be added to the complex and even if they have A or B
genes, the genes do not express themselvs. ABO antigens are only moderately
well developed at birth. Therefore ABO-HDN not as severe as other kinds of
Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn. .

The usual antigens detectable in ABO system by routine testing:

Possible phenotype Genotypes in phenotype

A AA
AO

B BB
BO

AB AB

O OO
Characteristics of ABO antibodies:
1- IgM antibodies
2- They react in saline and agglutinate
3- The optimum temperature is below 30c.
4- They absent at birth and start to appear around 3-6 months. Therefore,
new-borne blood is forward typed.

Usual antibodies of the ABO system:

Phenotype Antibody in serum

A Anti-B

B Anti-A

O Anti-A,Anti-B

AB None

As in the table above, it shows the antibodies found in the blood groups. However,
sometimes the antibodies may not be present.

Antibodies in serum Group Exceptions and comments

Anti-A B -Absent in rare cases.

O Immunodeficiency.
-Most new-borne lack anti-
A
- cause transfusion reaction
Anti-A1 A2 -Only 2% of group A2
A2B - Only 25% of group A2B
- does not cause transfusion
reaction
Anti-B A -Absent in rare cases.
O Immunodeficiency.
-Most new-borne lack anti-
B
-cause transfusion reaction
 Anti-A Oh(Bombay)
Anti-B Cause transfusion reaction
Anti-H
ABO inheritance:

ABO genes:

A and B genes found in the chromosome number 9. they are inherited from both
parents so one gene from father and the other one from the mother. When
individuals inherit A or B gene it will appear. The O gene means that there is a
lack in A or B antigens but it will not expressed until is inherited from both parents
(OO). Therefore, O gene is recessive.
The diagram below shows two individuals one inherited only one A with O gene
which is heterozygous while the other inherited two A which is homozygous.

1 = A/A 2 = A/O
1 = Homozygous A 2 = Heterozygous A
Phenotype A Phenotype A
Genotype A/A Genotype A/0
Can Contribute Only an A Gene to
Can Contribute A or O Gene to Offspring
Offspring

ABO phenotypes and genotypes:

1. Group A phenotype = A/A or A/O genotype

2. Group B phenotype = B/B or B/O genotype

3. Group O phenotype = O/O genotype

4. Group AB phenotype = A/B genotype

Offspring possibilities:
Possibilities of an A/O mating with a B/O: (Children's genotypes in
black)
Father's Genes
Mother's Genes
B O
A AB AO
O BO OO

Possibilities of AA mating with BB: (Children's genotypes in black)

Father's Genes
Mother's Genes
B B
A AB AB
A AB AB

Possibilities of an A/A mating with a B/O: (Children's genotypes in

black)
Father's Genes
Mother's Genes
B O
A AB AO
A AB AO

Possibilities of an A/A mating with an O/O:

Father's Genes
Mother's Genes
O O
A AO AO
A AO AO

Possibilities of an A/O mating with an O/O:

 Father's Genes
Mother's Genes
O O
A AO AO
O OO OO

Possibilities of an A/B mating with a O/O:

Father's Genes
Mother's Genes
O O
A AO AO
B BO BO

Statistics of ABO blood groups around the world:

PEOPLE GROUP O A B AB
Aborigines 61 39 0 0
Abyssinians 43 27 25 5
Ainu (Japan) 17 32 32 18
Albanians 38 43 13 6
Grand Andamanese 9 60 23 9
Arabs 34 31 29 6
Armenians 31 50 13 6
Asian (in USA - General) 40 28 27 5
Austrians 36 44 13 6
Bantus 46 30 19 5
Basques 51 44 4 1
Belgians 47 42 8 3
Blackfoot (N. Am. Indian) 17 82 0 1
Bororo 100 0 0 0
Brazilians 47 41 9 3
Bulgarians 32 44 15 8
Burmese 36 24 33 7
Buryats 33 21 38 8
Bushmen 56 34 9 2
Chinese-Canton 46 23 25 6
Chinese-Peking 29 27 32 13
Chuvash 30 29 33 7
Czechs 30 44 18 9
Danes 41 44 11 4
Dutch 45 43 9 3
Egyptians 33 36 24 8
English 47 42 9 3
Eskimos (Alaska) 38 44 13 5
Eskimos (Greenland) 54 36 23 8
Estonians 34 36 23 8
Fijians 44 34 17 6
Finns 34 41 18 7
French 43 47 7 3
Georgians 46 37 12 4
Germans 41 43 11 5
Greeks 40 42 14 5
Gypsies (Hungary) 29 27 35 10
Hawaiians 37 61 2 1
Hindus (Bombay) 32 29 28 11
Hungarians 36 43 16 5
Icelanders 56 32 10 3
Indians (India - General) 37 22 33 7
Indians (USA - General) 79 16 4 1
Irish 52 35 10 3
Italians (Milan) 46 41 11 3
Japanese 30 38 22 10
Jews (Germany) 42 41 12 5
Jews (Poland) 33 41 18 8
Kalmuks 26 23 41 11
Kikuyu (Kenya) 60 19 20 1
Koreans 28 32 31 10
Lapps 29 63 4 4
Latvians 32 37 24 7
Lithuanians 40 34 20 6
Malasians 62 18 20 0
Maoris 46 54 1 0
Mayas 98 1 1 1
Moros 64 16 20 0
Navajo (N. Am. Indian) 73 27 0 0
Nicobarese (Nicobars) 74 9 15 1
Norwegians 39 50 8 4
Papuas (New Guinea) 41 27 23 9
Persians 38 33 22 7
Peru (Indians) 100 0 0 0
Philippinos 45 22 27 6
Poles 33 39 20 9
Portuguese 35 53 8 4
 Rumanians 34 41 19 6
Russians 33 36 23 8
Sardinians 50 26 19 5
Scotts 51 34 12 3
Serbians 38 42 16 5
Shompen (Nicobars) 100 0 0 0
Slovaks 42 37 16 5
South Africans 45 40 11 4
Spanish 38 47 10 5
Sudanese 62 16 21 0
Swedes 38 47 10 5
Swiss 40 50 7 3
Tartars 28 30 29 13
Thais 37 22 33 8
Turks 43 34 18 6
Ukranians 37 40 18 6
United Kingdom (GB) 47 42 8 3
USA (blacks) 49 27 20 4
USA (whites) 45 40 11 4
Vietnamese 42 22 30 5

Reference:

http://faculty.matcmadison.edu/mljensen/BloodBank/lectures/abo_blo
od_group_system.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABO_blood_group_system

http://www.purchon.com/biology/abo.htm

http://www.arabslab.com/vb/archive/index.php/t-443.html

http://www.bloodbook.com

Vidoes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4qkwW-Fl3E

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qO8fxxNVCg

{{#ev:youtube|6qO8fxxNVCg}}