title: Allelic Prevalence of ABO Blood Group Genes in Iranian Azari Population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  ABO blood group system is the most important blood group in transfusion and has been widely used in population studies. Several molecular techniques for ABO allele's detection are widely used for distinguishing various alleles of glycosyl transferase locus on chromosome 9.
  
  
  METHODS
  744 randomly selected samples from Azari donors of East Azerbaijan province (Iran) were examined using well-adjusted multiplex allele- specific PCR ABO genotyping technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results were consistent for all individuals. The ABO blood group genotype of 744 healthy Azari blood donors was: 25.8% AA/AO (2), 7.6% AO (1), 1.6% BB, 11.3% B0 (1), 10% AB, 9.3% 0(1)0(1) and 15.3%0(1)0(2). The highest genotype frequency belonged to O01/O02 genotype (15.3%) and the lowest frequency belonged to A101/A102 genotype (0.4%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequencies of ABO alleles didn't show significant differences between East Azerbaijan province population and that of other areas of the country. Meanwhile, statistical analysis of frequencies of A and B alleles between East Azerbaijan province population and neighbor countries showed significant differences whereas the frequency of allele O between them did not show significant difference (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequencies of ABO alleles didn't show significant differences between East Azerbaijan province population and that of other areas of the country. Meanwhile, statistical analysis of frequencies of A and B alleles between East Azerbaijan province population and neighbor countries showed significant differences whereas the frequency of allele O between them did not show significant difference (P>0.05).
authors.affiliation: Hematology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nojavan
authors.forename: Karrim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shamsasenjan
authors.forename: Ali Akbar
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Movassaghpour
authors.forename: Parvin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Akbarzadehlaleh
authors.forename: Seyd Esmail
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Torabi
authors.forename: Morteza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghojazadeh
keywords: ABO Blood Groups; Genotyping; Iran; Multiplex Allele-Specific PCR