Serologic findings of RhD alleles in Egyptians and their clinical implications

RHD Genotyping of Rh-Negative and Weak D Phenotype among Blood Donors in Southeast Iran

Background: The D antigen is a subset of Rh blood group antigens involved in the hemolytic disease of the newborn [HDFN] and hemolytic transfusion reaction [HTR]. The hybrid Rhesus box that was created after RH gene deletion, was known as a mechanism of the Rh-negative phenotype. Hybrid marker identification is used to confirm the deletion of the RHD gene and to determine zygosity. This study aims to detect this marker in Rh-negative and weak D phenotype blood donors of the southeast of Iran.

Materials and Methods: The molecular analysis of the hybrid Rhesus box was performed on the 200 Rh-negative blood donors in Sistan and Baluchestan province, southeast Iran. The presence of alleles responsible for the D variants was assessed by DNA sequencing in 26 weak D phenotype donors.

Results: Of the 200 Rh-negative blood samples, 198 samples were homozygous (99%), and two samples were heterozygous (1%). Heterozygous samples had RHD*01N.73 allele and the RHD*01N.18 allele. Of the 26 samples with weak D phenotype, 16 partial DLO (61%), 4 partial DBT1 (15.3%), 2 partial DV type 2 (7.7%), 1 weak D type 1, 1 weak D type 4.2.3, 1weak D type 105 and 1 RHD (S103P) (4%) were determined.

Conclusion: Since RHD gene deletion is the main mechanism of the Rh-negativity in Sistan and Baluchestan provinces, a hybrid Rhesus box marker can be used in resolving RhD typing discrepancies by RHD genotyping methods.

Transfusion strategy for weak D Type 4.0 based on RHD alleles and RH haplotypes in Tunisia

BACKGROUND

With more than 460 RHD alleles, this gene is the most complex and polymorphic among all blood group systems. The Tunisian population has the largest known prevalence of weak D Type 4.0 alleles, occurring in one of 105 RH haplotypes. We aimed to establish a rationale for the transfusion strategy of weak D Type 4.0 in Tunisia.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Donors were randomly screened for the serologic weak D phenotype. The RHD coding sequence and parts of the introns were sequenced. To establish the RH haplotype, the RHCE gene was tested for characteristic single-nucleotide positions.

RESULTS

We determined all RHD alleles and the RH haplotypes coding for the serologic weak D phenotype among 13,431 Tunisian donations. A serologic weak D phenotype was found in 67 individuals (0.50%). Among them, 60 carried a weak D Type 4 allele: 53 weak D Type 4.0, six weak D Type 4.2.2 (DAR), and one weak D Type 4.1. An additional four donors had one variant allele each: DVII, weak D Type 1, weak D Type 3, and weak D type 100, while three donors showed a normal RHD sequence. The weak D Type 4.0 was most often linked to RHCE*ceVS.04.01, weak D Type 4.2.2 to RHCE*ceAR, and weak D Type 4.1 to RHCE*ceVS.02, while the other RHD alleles were linked to one of the common RHCE alleles.

CONCLUSIONS

Among the weak D phenotypes in Tunisia, no novel RHD allele was found and almost 90% were caused by alleles of the weak D Type 4 cluster, of which 88% represented the weak D Type 4.0 allele. Based on established RH haplotypes for variant RHD and RHCE alleles and the lack of adverse clinical reports, we recommend D+ transfusions for patients with weak D Type 4.0 in Tunisia.