Serologic characteristics of H-deficient phenotypes among Chinese in Hong Kong.
BACKGROUND
The occasional presence of H-deficient red cells among both referred and donor blood samples prompted the mass screening of donated blood in Hong Kong for H-deficient phenotypes; 96 percent of the donors tested are Chinese from the southern province of Kwongtung.


METHODS
Donor blood was screened for H-deficient red cells with the use of Ulex europaeus. Lewis phenotyping was carried out on all H-deficient individuals, and saliva testing was performed on most such individuals. The thermal amplitude and potency of their anti-H and anti-HI in the serum were also estimated.


RESULTS
Between 1984 and 1993, 28 H-deficient blood donors were identified; 16 H-deficient patient samples were also identified, and family studies revealed an additional 7 H-deficient subjects. The H-deficient red cells did not react with anti-H lectin, the levels of ABH substances in saliva were normal or near-normal, normal levels of A or B transferase were found in plasma, minute quantities of A or B (in persons who were genetically group A or B) were detected on the red cells, and anti-H or anti-HI was detected in the serum (about 66.7% of which reacted at 37 degrees C). Atypical anti-A or anti-B was demonstrated in 81.8 percent of the cases.


CONCLUSIONS
The H-deficient phenotype among the Hong Kong Chinese seems to represent a homogeneous group. Despite the presence of normal quantities of ABH substance in the saliva, anti-H or anti-HI that was active at 37 degrees C was detected in most cases. The incidence of the H-deficient phenotype was 1 in 15,620.
Mak
K H
KH
Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, Hong Kong.
Lubenko
A
A
Greenwell
P
P
Voak
D
D
Yan
K F
KF
Poole
J
J
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D001788:Blood Grouping and Crossmatching; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D005647:Fucosyltransferases / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D005700:Galactosyltransferases / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D007518:Isoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D008297:Male; D008957:Models, Genetic; D017350:N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D010375:Pedigree; D010641:Phenotype; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D000097631:Galactoside 2-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D005647:Fucosyltransferases; D005700:Galactosyltransferases; D007518:Isoantibodies; D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens; D017350:N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides; D000097631:Galactoside 2-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase; C003742:UDPgalactosamine-galactose acetylgalactosaminyltransferase; C023155:blood-group-substance alpha-D-galactosyltransferase