ABO subgroups and Bombay

group

M kasthuri bai

Subgroups of A
Subgroups are ABO phenotypes that
differ in the amount of antigen
carried on red cells
Found in the saliva of secretors
A subgroups A
1
and A
2

Quantitative and qualitative
difference btw A
1
and A
2
subgroup
A
1
(80%) and A
2
(20%)

A SubGroup Antigens
A Antigens Name and Location

Type 2A - on A1 and
A2 cells

Type 3A - on A1 cells
only

Type 4A - on A1 cells
only

A1 and A2 Blood Cell and Antigens
A1 Red Cell A2 Red Cell




Subgroups of A
Serologic distinction between A
1
and
A
2

Anti-A
1
react with A
1
cells
Anti A
1
prepared from serum from B
group or lectin of Dolichos biflorus
seeds
Anti-A
1
found in A
2
and A
2
B person
Anti-A
1
can cause ABO discrepancy
Anti-A
1
reacts at RT and clinically
insignificant

Subgroups of A
Classification of weak A subgroup is based on:
Degree of red cell agglutination by Anti-A
1
and Anti
A
Degree of red cell agglutination by anti-A,B
Degree of red cell agglutination by anti-H (Ulex
europaeus)
Presence of A and H substances in the saliva of
secretors
Other blood group A
x
, A
el
, A
int
or A
3
A
3
red cells produce mix-field pattern in test
with anti-A and anti-B

Subgroups of B
Less common than subgroup A

Identified based on their reaction
with anti-B and anti-A,B reagents

The subgroups B
3
, B
x
, B
m
are similar
to subgroup A
BOMBAY PHENOTYPE
Bombay Phenotype
The O
h
(Bombay) phenotype was
described by Bhende in 1952 and is found
in individuals who lack the H gene
(genotype hh)
H gene is required for the conversion of
precursor substances to H substances
Individuals of genotype hh cannot
produce A or B substances (antigens)
even when normal A or B genes or both
have been inherited.



INHERITANCE OF ABO BLOOD GROUPS






Both parents must possess h recessive
allele in order for the offspring to be an
O
h


Genetics
Type O may have the Bombay phenotype
if they have inherited two recessive alleles
of the H gene
their blood group is O
h
and their genotype
is "hh"), and so do not produce the "H"
carbohydrate (fucose) that is the
precursor to the "A" and "B" antigens.
It then no longer matters whether the A or
B enzymes are present or not, as no A or
B antigen can be produced since the
precursor antigen H is not present.


O
h
subgroups
The RBC of an hh individual appear to be
group O and do not react with Anti-H
The strongly reactive Anti-H on O
h

(Bombay) individuals causes their serum
to agglutinate with normal group O cells
Anti-H of O
h
indv reacts at thermal range
4-37C with all red cells except those with
O
h
people
O
h
patients must be transfused with O
h

blood
The O
h
phenotype demonstrated by lectin
anti-H Ulex europeaus



Para-Bombay phenotype
A
H
,B
H
and AB
H
red cells lack serologically
detectable H antigen but carry small
amounts of A and/or B antigen
Cells shows weak reactions with anti-A or
Anti-B but cells are nonreactive with anti-
H lectin
Reflects presence of variant H genes that
produce minute amounts of H antigen all
which undergoes conversion to A or B by
the products of A or B genes
The serum of A
H
and B
H
people contains
anti-H in addition to expected anti-A or -B
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