Can blood group O red cells of donor origin acquire weak group A reactivity through serum A transferase of the recipient after bone marrow transplantation?
BACKGROUND
Blood group A substance was detected on red cells of a patient who received a bone marrow transplant from a blood group O donor 3.5 years ago.


METHODS
Peripheral blood was investigated by conventional serological techniques, fluorescence in situ hybridisation, and polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
All peripheral blood cells are of donor origin. Anti-A and not anti-A, B of blood group O individuals can be absorbed to the group O red cells of the patient.


CONCLUSIONS
We suppose that the patient's residual serum A transferase attaches the appropriate sugar to substance H on the red cell membrane to form substance A.
Wichmann
M G
MG
Institut für Transfusionsmedizin im Klinikum, Universität Kiel, Germany.
Haferlach
T
T
Suttorp
M
M
Zhang
Y
Y
Neppert
J
J
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System / Q000097:blood*; D001782:Blood Donors; D001787:Blood Group Incompatibility / Q000201:enzymology*; D001788:Blood Grouping and Crossmatching; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000201:enzymology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017350:N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases / Q000097:blood*; D014166:Transferases
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D014166:Transferases; D017350:N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases; C003742:UDPgalactosamine-galactose acetylgalactosaminyltransferase