Mortality and cancer in relation to ABO blood group phenotypes in the Golestan Cohort Study

Investigation of unfavorable prognostic factors for survival in Chinese patients with gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors

Background

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) was very rare in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Most GISTs were asymptomatic at early stage. Therefore, it was of great significance to explore the prognostic factors of patients with GIST. This investigation aimed to assess the unfavorable prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in 106 Chinese patients with GISTs.

Methods

A total of 106 Chinese patients, including 68 women and 38 men, with confirmed gastric GIST treated at the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University in China from 2012 to 2018 were included. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression models were applied to evaluate the unfavorable prognostic risk factors for survival.

Results

Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that blood type A was significantly related to poor OS (P=0.01), and tumor invasion, higher Ki-67 index, synchronous gastric cancer (GC), and tumor necrosis were significantly associated with poor DFS (all P<0.05). Multivariate analysis further demonstrated that blood type A was a significant independent prognostic factor with both OS and DFS (both P<0.05). Synchronous GC and age ≥60 years were also significant independent prognostic factor for DFS (both P<0.05).

Conclusions

Blood type A, age ≥60 years, and synchronous GC were unfavorable prognostic factors for survival in Chinese patients with gastric GISTs. The mechanism underlying the prognostic role of these factors warrants further investigation.

Mendelian randomization combined with multi-omics explores the relationship between heart failure and cancer

Background: Whether there is an association between HF (HF) and cancer has not been conclusively established, and it is not clear whether patients with cancer can share similar hospitalization strategies and outcomes with patients with HF. Methods: Genome-wide association summary statistics were performed using a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) method for HF patients and cancer patients from the GWAS directory, with co-localization and Summary Data-Based Mendelian Randomization (SMR) analyses to identify HF-associated genes, and transcriptomic analyses to analyze the roles of these genes in the clinical diagnosis and targeted therapies of multiple cancer types. Results: Two-sample MR analysis showed that increased risk of HF was associated with decreased risk of cervical, brain, breast, colorectal, lung, and skin cancers, and co-localization combined with SMR analysis identified ABO and SURF1 as HF-associated genes, and transcriptomic analyses showed that ABO is a risk factor for HF and a protective factor against cancer, whereas SURF1 is a protective factor against HF and a protective factor against cancer. Conclusion: There was no causal relationship between heart failure and cancers (Cervical, brain, breast, colorectal, lung and skin cancers) risk factors, however there was a trend toward a negative causal relationship between heart failure and cancers (Cervical, brain, breast, colorectal, lung and skin cancers) occurrence.

Cardiovascular Diseases Risk Predictors: ABO Blood Groups in a Different Role

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) pose a serious threat to people's health, with extremely high global morbidity, mortality, and disability rates. This study aimed to review the literature that examined the relationship between blood groups and CVD. Many studies have reported that non-O blood groups are associated with an increased risk and severity of coronary artery disease and acute coronary syndromes. Non-O blood groups increase the risk and severity of these conditions by increasing von Willebrand factor and plasma cholesterol levels and inducing endothelial dysfunction and inflammation. They have also been linked with increased coronary artery calcification, coronary lesion complexity, and poor collateral circulation. Blood groups also affect the prognosis of coronary artery disease and acute coronary syndrome and can alter the rate of complications and mortality. Several cardiovascular complications have been described for coronavirus disease 2019, and blood groups can influence their occurrence. No studies have found a significant relationship between the Lewis blood group and CVD. In conclusion, people with non-O blood groups should be vigilantly monitored for cardiovascular risk factors as prevention and proper treatment of these risk factors may mitigate their risk of CVD and adverse cardiovascular events.

Comprehensive analysis of platelet glycoprotein Ibα ectodomain glycosylation

BACKGROUND

Platelet glycoprotein (GP) Ibα is the major ligand-binding subunit of the GPIb-IX-V complex that binds von Willebrand factor. GPIbα is heavily glycosylated, and its glycans have been proposed to play key roles in platelet clearance, von Willebrand factor binding, and as target antigens in immune thrombocytopenia syndromes. Despite its importance in platelet biology, the glycosylation profile of GPIbα is not well characterized.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to comprehensively analyze GPIbα amino acid sites of glycosylation (glycosites) and glycan structures.

METHODS

GPIbα ectodomain that was recombinantly expressed or that was purified from human platelets was analyzed by Western blot, mass spectrometry glycomics, and mass spectrometry glycopeptide analysis to define glycosites and the structures of the attached glycans.

RESULTS

We identified a diverse repertoire of N- and O-glycans, including sialoglycans, Tn antigen, T antigen, and ABO(H) blood group antigens. In the analysis of the recombinant protein, we identified 62 unique O-glycosites. In the analysis of the endogenous protein purified from platelets, we identified 48 unique O-glycosites and 1 N-glycosite. The GPIbα mucin domain is densely O-glycosylated. Glycosites are also located within the macroglycopeptide domain and mechanosensory domain.

CONCLUSIONS

This comprehensive analysis of GPIbα glycosylation lays the foundation for further studies to determine the functional and structural roles of GPIbα glycans.

Haplotype sequence collection of ABO blood group alleles by long-read sequencing reveals putative A1-diagnostic variants

In the era of blood group genomics, reference collections of complete and fully resolved blood group gene alleles have gained high importance. For most blood groups, however, such collections are currently lacking, as resolving full-length gene sequences as haplotypes (ie, separated maternal/paternal origin) remains exceedingly difficult with both Sanger and short-read next-generation sequencing. Using the latest third-generation long-read sequencing, we generated a collection of fully resolved sequences for all 6 main ABO allele groups: ABO∗A1/A2/B/O.01.01/O.01.02/O.02. We selected 77 samples from an ABO genotype data set (n = 25 200) of serologically typed Swiss blood donors. The entire ABO gene was amplified in 2 overlapping long-range polymerase chain reactions (covering ∼23.6 kb) and sequenced by long-read Oxford Nanopore sequencing. For quality validation, 2 samples per ABO group were resequenced using Illumina and Pacific Biosciences technology. All 154 full-length ABO sequences were resolved as haplotypes. We observed novel, distinct sequence patterns for each ABO group. Most genetic diversity was found between, not within, ABO groups. Phylogenetic tree and haplotype network analyses highlighted distinct clades of each ABO group. Strikingly, our data uncovered 4 genetic variants putatively specific for ABO∗A1, for which direct diagnostic targets are currently lacking. We validated A1-diagnostic potential using whole-genome data (n = 4872) of a multiethnic cohort. Overall, our sequencing strategy proved powerful for producing high-quality ABO haplotypes and holds promise for generating similar collections for other blood groups. The publicly available collection of 154 haplotypes will serve as a valuable resource for molecular analyses of ABO, as well as studies about the function and evolutionary history of ABO.

Galectin-3 and Blood Group: Binding Properties, Effects on Plasma Levels, and Consequences for Prognostic Performance

Previous studies have reported an association between ABO type blood group and cardiovascular (CV) events and outcomes. The precise mechanisms underpinning this striking observation remain unknown, although differences in von Willebrand factor (VWF) plasma levels have been proposed as an explanation. Recently, galectin-3 was identified as an endogenous ligand of VWF and red blood cells (RBCs) and, therefore, we aimed to explore the role of galectin-3 in different blood groups. Two in vitro assays were used to assess the binding capacity of galectin-3 to RBCs and VWF in different blood groups. Additionally, plasma levels of galectin-3 were measured in different blood groups in the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health (LURIC) study (2571 patients hospitalized for coronary angiography) and validated in a community-based cohort of the Prevention of Renal and Vascular End-stage Disease (PREVEND) study (3552 participants). To determine the prognostic value of galectin-3 in different blood groups, logistic regression and cox regression models were used with all-cause mortality as the primary outcome. First, we demonstrated that galectin-3 has a higher binding capacity for RBCs and VWF in non-O blood groups, compared to blood group O. Additionally, LURIC patients with non-O blood groups had substantially lower plasma levels of galectin-3 (15.0, 14.9, and 14.0 μg/L in blood groups A, B, and AB, respectively, compared to 17.1 μg/L in blood group O, p < 0.0001). Finally, the independent prognostic value of galectin-3 for all-cause mortality showed a non-significant trend towards higher mortality in non-O blood groups. Although plasma galectin-3 levels are lower in non-O blood groups, the prognostic value of galectin-3 is also present in subjects with a non-O blood group. We conclude that physical interaction between galectin-3 and blood group epitopes may modulate galectin-3, which may affect its performance as a biomarker and its biological activity.

Association of O blood type with the prognosis of acute necrotizing encephalopathy in childhood: A single-center cohort study

BACKGROUND

Acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) of childhood is a rare but critical disease with global distribution. Few studies have focused on investigating the relationship between O blood type and the prognosis of ANE.

METHODS

We analyzed retrospectively the data of patients with ANE admitted to the Beijing Children's Hospital from March 2012 to February 2019. Baseline data, clinical characteristics, examination, treatment, and prognosis of O blood group were compared with those of the non-O blood group. Cox regression was used to observe the independent prognostic factors in ANE.

RESULTS

Thirty-one ANE patients were recruited, and 8 (25.8%) of these patients were in the O blood group. The rest (n = 23; 74.2%) were in the non-O blood group. No significant differences were found in the demographic characteristics, clinical features, examinations, and treatments between the two groups (p > 0.05). At 28 days after discharge, the overall survival rate of the O blood group was significantly higher than that of the non-O blood group (χ² = 5.630, p = 0.018). At 1 year after discharge, the survival quality of the O blood group was higher than that of the non-O blood group (p = 0.006). After adjusting for the confounding factors, Cox regression analysis showed that O blood type might be a protective factor in ANE [hazard ratio = 0.283, 95% CI = 0.081-0.988; p = 0.048].

CONCLUSIONS

O blood type may be a protective factor for patients with ANE.

Venous thromboembolism incidence and risk factors in adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with and without pegylated E. coli asparaginase-containing regimens

PURPOSE

Asparaginases, key agents in treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), are associated with venous thromboembolism (VTE). While risks of short-acting asparaginase-related VTE is well-known, we studied VTE incidence and risk factors in adult ALL patients treated with and without long-acting pegylated asparaginase (PegA).

METHODS

Single-center, retrospective analysis of 89 ALL patients treated with (n = 61) or without (n = 28) PegA at Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center. Reviewed patient and disease characteristics, treatment, and VTE incidence.

RESULTS

VTE during treatment occurred in 31 patients (35%), and was associated with PegA (p = 0.001) and Philadelphia chromosome negativity (p = 0.002). Among PegA recipients, VTE was associated with a significantly higher mean body mass index (BMI) of 31.3 kg/m² (p = 0.037), and was more common with pre-T/T cell compared to pre-B/B cell ALL (68.2% vs. 33.3%, p = 0.009). Antithrombin-III (ATIII) levels were measured for 26 patients; 16 (61.5%) were < 50%. Of those, 8 (50%) experienced VTE, while 3 of 10 (30%) patients with ATIII levels ≥ 50% experienced VTE. VTE occurred in 7 of 13 (54%) of patients who received ATIII repletion. There was a trend toward a higher incidence of VTE in the PegA group among patients with non-O compared to O blood type (55.9% vs. 33.3%, p = 0.079) as well as those with a higher hemoglobin at diagnosis (9.3 vs 8.1 g/dL, p = 0.056).

CONCLUSION

This study confirms PegA as a risk factor for VTE in patients with ALL. Risk factors among those receiving PegA include higher BMI and pre-T/T cell ALL. ATIII repletion was not shown to be protective against VTE. There was a higher incidence of VTE in patients who received PegA with non-O compared to O blood type, but the precise correlation is uncertain.

Blood Type Is Not Associated with Changes in Cardiometabolic Outcomes in Response to a Plant-Based Dietary Intervention

BACKGROUND

Risk of cardiovascular disease is lower in individuals with blood type O and increased in individuals with blood type A, compared with those in other blood groups. However, little evidence is available regarding whether individuals with different blood types benefit from different diet recommendations.

OBJECTIVE

As part of a larger intervention trial using a low-fat vegan diet, this study ascertained whether changes in cardiometabolic outcomes were associated with ABO blood type.

DESIGN

A secondary analysis among intervention-group participants in a 16-week randomized clinical trial.

PARTICIPANTS/SETTING

In a larger study of overweight individuals randomly assigned to follow a low-fat vegan diet or to make no diet changes for 16 weeks, ABO blood typing was conducted on 68 intervention-group participants.

INTERVENTION

Intervention-group participants were asked to follow a low-fat vegan diet and attend weekly educational classes to aid in diet adherence.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Body weight, fat mass, visceral fat volume, blood lipid levels, fasting plasma glucose levels, and glycated hemoglobin concentrations.

STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED

Student t tests compared participants with blood type A to all other participants, and individuals with blood type O to all other participants.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in any outcome between individuals of blood type A and all other participants, or between individuals of blood type O and all other participants. Mean body weight change was -5.7 kg for blood type A participants and -7.0 kg for all other participants (P = 0.09), and was -7.1 kg for type O participants and -6.2 kg for all other participants (P = 0.33). Mean total cholesterol decreased 17.2 mg/dL in the type A group and 18.3 mg/dL for all other participants (P = 0.90), and decreased 17.4 mg/dL among type O participants and 18.4 mg/dL for all other participants (P = 0.89).

CONCLUSIONS

Blood type was not associated with the effects of a plant-based diet on body weight, body fat, plasma lipid concentrations, or glycemic control.

A phenome-wide association study of ABO blood groups

BACKGROUND

ABO blood group is associated with differences in lifespan, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers, for reasons which are incompletely understood. To gain sex-specific additional insight about potential mechanisms driving these common conditions for future interventions, we characterized associations of ABO blood group antigen across the phenotype sex-specifically.

METHODS

We performed a phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) assessing the association of tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for ABO blood group antigens (O, B, A1, and A2) with 3873 phenotypes.

RESULTS

The tag SNP for the O antigen was inversely associated with diseases of the circulatory system (particularly deep vein thrombosis (DVT)), total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and ovarian cancer, and positively associated with erythrocyte traits, leukocyte counts, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and healthy body composition; the tag SNP for the A1 antigen tended to have associations in reverse to O. Stronger associations were more apparent for men than women for DVT, DBP, leukocyte traits, and some body composition traits, whereas larger effect sizes were found for women than men for some erythrocyte and lipid traits.

CONCLUSION

Blood group has a complex association with cardiovascular diseases and its major risk factors, including blood pressure and lipids, as well as with blood cell traits and body composition, with some differences by sex. Lower LDL-C may underlie some of the benefits of blood group O, but the complexity of associations with blood group antigen suggests overlooked drivers of common chronic diseases.

Relationship between blood group and risk of infection and death in COVID-19: a live meta-analysis

The relationship between ABO blood group and the incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and death has been investigated in several studies. The reported results were controversial, so the objective of the present study was to assess the relationship between different blood groups and the onset and mortality of COVID-19 infection using a meta-analysis method. We searched relevant databases using appropriate MeSH terms. We screened articles on the bases of titles, abstracts and full text, and articles that met the inclusion criteria were selected. Quality assessment was done with the Newcastle-Ottawa scale checklist. The estimated frequency of COVID-19 infection and death in terms of ABO blood group and the overall estimate of the odds ratio between blood group with COVID-19 infection and death was calculated with 95% confidence interval. The pooled frequency of blood groups A, B, O and AB among COVID-19-infected individuals was estimated as 36.22%, 24.99%, 29.67% and 9.29% respectively. The frequency of blood groups A, B, O and AB among patients who died of COVID-19 infection was estimated as 40%, 23%, 29% and 8% respectively. The odds ratio of COVID-19 infection for blood group A versus the other blood groups was estimated as 1.16 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.02-1.33). The corresponding figures for blood groups O and AB versus other blood groups were estimated as 0.73 (95% CI, 0.60-0.88) and 1.25 (95% CI, 0.84-1.86) respectively. This meta-analysis showed that individuals with blood group A are at higher risk for COVID-19 infection while those with blood group O are at lower risk. Although the odds ratio of death for AB blood group was nonsignificant, it was considerable.

Possible Link Between the ABO Blood Group of Bioprosthesis Recipients and Specific Types of Structural Degeneration

Background Pigs/bovines share common antigens with humans: α-Gal, present in all pigs/bovines close to the human B-antigen; and AH-histo-blood-group antigen, identical to human AH-antigen and present only in some animals. We investigate the possible impact of patients' ABO blood group on bioprosthesis structural valve degeneration (SVD) through calcification/pannus/tears/perforations for patients ≤60 years at implantation. Methods and Results This was a single-center study (Paris, France) that included all degenerative bioprostheses explanted between 1985 and 1998, mostly porcine bioprostheses (Carpentier-Edwards second/third porcine bioprostheses) and some bovine bioprostheses. For the period 1998 to 2014, only porcine bioprostheses with longevity ≥13 years were included (total follow-up ≥29 years). Except for blood groups, important predictive factors for SVD were prospectively collected (age at implantation/longevity/number/site/sex/SVD types) and analyzed using logistic regression. All variables were available for 500 explanted porcine bioprostheses. By multivariate analyses, the A group was associated with an increased risk of: tears (odds ratio[OR], 1.61; P=0.026); pannus (OR, 1.5; P=0.054), pannus with tears (OR, 1.73; P=0.037), and tendency for lower risk of: calcifications (OR, 0.63; P=0.087) or isolated calcification (OR, 0.67; P=0.17). A-antigen was associated with lower risk of perforations (OR 0.56; P=0.087). B-group patients had an increased risk of: perforations (OR, 1.73; P=0.043); having a pannus that was calcified (OR, 3.0, P=0.025). B-antigen was associated with a propensity for calcifications in general (OR, 1.34; P=0.25). Conclusions Patient's ABO blood group is associated with specific SVD types. We hypothesize that carbohydrate antigens, which may or may not be common to patient and animal bioprosthetic tissue, will determine a patient's specific immunoreactivity with respect to xenograft tissue and thus bioprosthesis outcome in terms of SVD.

Association of ABO blood groups with allergic diseases: a scoping review

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to map evidence of the association of ABO blood groups with allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis (AR), atopic dermatitis (AD) and asthma.

DESIGN

A scoping review.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, Scopus, Direct Open Access Journal, Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, ScienceDirect and SpringerLink were searched from October 2017 until May 2018.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES

We selected all types of studies including case-control studies, prospective or retrospective cohort studies, cross-sectional studies and experimental studies, and we included reviews such as literature reviews, systematic reviews with or without meta-analysis and scoping reviews that were published in English and associated the ABO blood group with the three allergic diseases (asthma, AR and AD) in humans of all age groups.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Two reviewers independently screened the titles and abstracts and assessed the full-text articles of the abstracts that met the eligibility requirements. Data from the included studies were extracted, evaluated and reported in the form of narrative synthesis.

RESULTS

Of the 10 246 retrieved titles, only 14 articles were selected for a scoping review based on the eligibility criteria. The majority of the studies demonstrated a significant association between ABO blood groups and allergic diseases. We found that blood group O is prominent in patients with AR and asthma, while a non-O blood group is common in patients with AD.

CONCLUSION

This scoping review serves as preliminary evidence for the association of ABO blood groups with allergic diseases. Further studies need to be conducted so that the relationship between ABO blood groups and allergic diseases can be fully established. This could be helpful for clinicians and health professionals in consulting and managing patients who suffer from allergic diseases in the future.

Recipients with blood group A associated with longer survival rates in cardiac valvular bioprostheses

Background

Pigs/bovines share with humans some of the antigens present on cardiac valves. Two such antigens are: the major xenogenic Ag, “Gal” present in all pig/bovine very close to human B-antigen of ABO-blood-group system; the minor Ag, pig histo-blood-group AH-antigen identical to human AH-antigen and present by some animals. We hypothesize that these antigens may modify the immunogenicity of the bioprosthesis and also its longevity. ABO distribution may vary between patients with low (<6 years) and high (≥15 years) bioprostheses longevity.

Methods

Single-centre registry study (Paris, France) including all degenerative porcine bioprostheses (mostly Carpentier-Edwards 2nd/3rd generation heart valves) explanted between 1985 and 1998 and some bovine bioprostheses. For period 1998–2014, all porcine bioprostheses with longevity ≥13 years (follow-up ≥29 years). Important predictive factors for bioprosthesis longevity: number, site of implantation, age were collected. Blood group and other variables were entered into an ordinal logistic regression analysis model predicting valve longevity, categorized as low (<6 years), medium (6–14.9 years), and high (≥15 years).

Findings

Longevity and ABO-blood group were obtained for 483 explanted porcine bioprostheses. Mean longevity was 10.2 ± 3.9 years [0–28] and significantly higher for A-patients than others (P = 0.009). Using multivariate analysis, group A was a strong predictive factor of longevity (OR 2.09; P < 0.001). For the 64 explanted bovine bioprosthesis with low/medium longevity, the association, with A-group was even more significant.

Interpretation

Patients of A-group but not B have a higher longevity of their bioprostheses. Future graft-host phenotyping and matching may give rise to a new generation of long-lasting bioprosthesis for implantation in humans, especially for the younger population.

Fund

None.

Maternal ABO Blood Type and Factors Associated With Preeclampsia Subtype

BACKGROUND

The pathophysiology of preeclampsia remains unclear. The disorder is heterogeneous, and the pathophysiology may vary by subtype. Identification of relevant biomarkers will help to better elucidate the pathophysiologic basis of each preeclampsia subtype. Blood type may be a biomarker that allows risk identification for preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations among maternal ABO blood type and preeclampsia subtype and fetal growth restriction (FGR).

METHOD

Medical records of 126 women with early-onset preeclampsia (≤33 6/7 weeks' gestation), 126 women with late-onset preeclampsia (≥34 0/7 weeks' gestation), and 259 controls who gave birth between January 2012 and June 2016 were retrospectively abstracted from a large suburban tertiary referral center in South Central Pennsylvania for this hospital-based case-control study.

RESULTS

Women with AB blood type had >3 times the odds of late-onset preeclampsia (odds ratio [ OR] = 3.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) = [1.02, 11.05]) compared to those with O blood type. Among women with early-onset preeclampsia, those with B blood type had 5 times the odds of having a growth-restricted fetus than did women with O blood type ( OR = 5.44, 95% CI [1.65, 17.94]).

DISCUSSION

Our findings suggest that AB blood type may be an important risk factor for late-onset preeclampsia and that among women with early-onset preeclampsia, those with B blood type have increased odds of FGR. These findings warrant further study in women and their offspring to identify the pathophysiologic processes that may link ABO blood type, preeclampsia subtype, and FGR.

Blood groups A and AB are associated with increased gastric cancer risk: evidence from a large genetic study and systematic review

Background

The association of ABO blood groups with gastric cancer risk was proposed decades ago, but the results have been inconsistent.

Methods

We used two single nucleotide polymorphisms to determine ABO genotype in 4932 gastric cancer cases and 6158 controls of Chinese descent, and evaluated the associations of ABO blood groups and genotypes with risk of gastric cancer using multivariable logistic regression models. We also systematically reviewed published literature and performed a meta-analysis of all relevant studies.

Results

In the case-control study, compared with blood group O, both blood group A and AB were associated with increased gastric cancer risk (for group A, odds ratio (OR) = 1.13, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02–1.24; for group AB, OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.02–1.36, respectively). Analyses of ABO genotypes revealed associations of AO and AB with risk of gastric cancer compared with OO genotype. Consistent with the case-control study, meta-analysis of 40 studies including 33,613 cases and 2,431,327 controls demonstrated that blood group A (OR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.13–1.25) and AB (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.03–1.16) were associated with increased risk of gastric cancer.

Conclusions

Our analyses validated the association of blood group A with risk of gastric cancer, and suggested that blood group AB was also associated with gastric cancer risk. Functional investigations are warranted to elucidate the exact mechanism of ABO blood groups in gastric carcinogenesis.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-019-5355-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Blood group alters platelet binding kinetics to von Willebrand factor and consequently platelet function

Blood type O is associated with a lower risk of myocardial infarction. Platelets play a critical role in myocardial infarction. It is not known whether the expression of blood group antigens on platelet proteins alters platelet function; we hypothesized that platelet function would be different between donors with blood type O and those with non-O. To address this hypothesis, we perfused blood from healthy type O donors (n = 33) or non-O donors (n = 54) over pooled plasma derived von Willebrand factor (VWF) protein and purified blood type-specific VWF at arterial shear and measured platelet translocation dynamics. We demonstrate for the first time that type O platelets travel farther at greater speeds before forming stable bonds with VWF. To further characterize these findings, we used a novel analytical model of platelet interaction. Modeling revealed that the kinetics for GPIb/VWF binding rate are significantly lower for type O compared with non-O platelets. Our results demonstrate that platelets from type O donors interact less with VWF at arterial shear than non-O platelets. Our results suggest a potential mechanism for the reduced risk of myocardial infarction associated with blood type O.

The association between AB blood group and neonatal disease

BACKGROUND

Numerous studies have examined the association between ABO blood groups and adult disease states, but very few have studied the neonatal population. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between AB blood group and the occurrence of common neonatal disorders such as neutropenia at birth, sepsis, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) compared to all other blood groups.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective review on 3,981 infants born at 22 0/7 to 42 6/7 weeks' gestational age and compared the relative risk of neonatal diseases in infants with AB blood group to that of infants with all other blood groups (A, B, and O).

RESULTS

When compared to all other blood groups, AB infants demonstrated an increased risk for developing negative clinical outcomes. AB blood group was significantly associated with a 14-89% increased risk of neutropenia at birth, sepsis, RDS, and ROP. Risks for IVH and PDA were not significant.

CONCLUSION

We hypothesize that the phenotypic expression of A and B antigens, rather than the antigens themselves, in the AB group may reveal an enhanced susceptibility to injury at the endothelial level resulting in an increased risk for disease development.

The relationship between platelet indices and ABO blood groups in healthy adults

BACKGROUND

ABO blood groups have been suggested to have a high correlation with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). It has also been postulated that platelet indices, including mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW), are very important in the development and progression of CVDs. However, despite these common associations with CVDs, as far as we know, there are no studies investigating platelet indices in ABO blood groups. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate whether platelet indices are associated with ABO blood groups.

METHODS

The study included 301 healthy volunteers (99 women and 202 men; mean age: 32.59 ± 7.52 years) whose blood groups were determined by the gel column method using agglutination techniques. Platelet indices were studied by an automated blood counter.

RESULTS

No considerable differences in age, gender, or Rh factors were observed among ABO blood groups. MPV was detected to be considerably lower in O and A blood group subjects than in AB and B blood group subjects. Similarly, PDW was significantly lower in O and A blood group subjects than in B blood group subjects. Additionally, MPV in the O blood group subjects was significantly lower than in the non-O blood group subjects.

CONCLUSIONS

Because MPV and PDW are used as markers of CVDs, individuals with O and A blood groups in this study may be considered to have a lower risk of CVDs than AB and B blood group subjects. However, prospective cohort studies involving a greater number of volunteers are needed to elucidate these relationships.

ABO histo-blood group and risk of respiratory atopy in children: a review of published evidence

Besides their fundamental role in transfusion medicine, ABO and other histo-blood group antigens are associated with the pathogenesis of some human diseases such as malignancy and thrombosis. Reports also show a possible relationship with the risk of asthma and other forms of respiratory atopy. This paper aims to critically review the current evidence linking ABO histo-blood group with the risk of respiratory atopy in children and adults. A literature search was conducted with PubMed to gather baseline data about this relationship. The search extended to studies published within the past 45 years. First, the molecular mechanism underpinning the role of ABO antigenic system in human diseases comprises a fascinating relationship with von Willebrand factor and several pro-inflammatory and adhesion molecules. Second, specific blood group types vary with asthma phenotypes; severe asthma is associated with B phenotype, while mild and moderate asthma is associated with O and A phenotypes. Third, O phenotype has been linked to allergic rhinitis but only in males. Furthermore, asthma risk is related to O/Lewis negative/secretor phenotypes, while a significant relationship has also been established with B phenotype but not with A and O phenotypes. However, one study failed to establish a significant relationship with any of the ABO blood group antigens. In conclusion, there is no unanimity on the specific histo-blood groups linked to respiratory atopy risk, although asthma phenotypes are associated with specific blood groups. Despite the prospect that this relationship holds for the use of blood-group typing in evaluating respiratory atopy risk in children, more evidence-based studies are still required for its validation.

Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in Iran (the PERSIAN Cohort Study): Rationale, Objectives, and Design

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) account for 76% of deaths in Iran, and this number is on the rise, in parallel with global rates. Many risk factors associated with NCDs are preventable; however, it is first necessary to conduct observational studies to identify relevant risk factors and the most appropriate approach to controlling them. Iran is a multiethnic country; therefore, in 2014 the Ministry of Health and Medical Education launched a nationwide cohort study-Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in Iran (PERSIAN)-in order to identify the most prevalent NCDs among Iran's ethnic groups and to investigate effective methods of prevention. The PERSIAN study consists of 4 population-based cohorts; the adult component (the PERSIAN Cohort Study), described in this article, is a prospective cohort study including 180,000 persons aged 35-70 years from 18 distinct areas of Iran. Upon joining the cohort, participants respond to interviewer-administered questionnaires. Blood, urine, hair, and nail samples are collected and stored. To ensure consistency, centrally purchased equipment is sent to all sites, and the same team trains all personnel. Routine visits and quality assurance/control measures are taken to ensure protocol adherence. Participants are followed for 15 years postenrollment. The PERSIAN study is currently in the enrollment phase; cohort profiles will soon emerge.

Erythrogene: a database for in-depth analysis of the extensive variation in 36 blood group systems in the 1000 Genomes Project

Blood group genotyping has recently developed into a clinical tool to improve compatibility of blood transfusions and management of pregnancies. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is rapidly moving toward routine practice for patient and donor typing and has the potential to remedy some of the limitations of currently used platforms. However, a large-scale investigation into the blood group genotypes obtained by NGS in a multiethnic cohort is lacking. The 1000 Genomes Project provides information on genome variation among 2504 individuals representing 26 populations worldwide. We extracted their NGS data for all 36 blood group systems to a custom-designed database. In total, 210 412 alleles from 43 blood group-related genes were imported and curated. Matching algorithms were developed to compare them to blood group variants identified to date. Of the 1241 non-synonymous variants identified in the coding regions, 241 are known blood group polymorphisms. Interestingly, 357 of the remaining 1000 variants are predicted to occur on extracellular portions of 31 different blood group-carrying proteins and some may represent undiscovered antigens. Of the alleles analyzed, 1504 were not previously described. The ABO/GBGT1/FUT2/FUT3 and GYPB/GYPC genes showed the highest degree of variation per kilobase coding sequence, and ACKR1 variants had the most skewed distribution across 5 continental superpopulations in the dataset. Results were exported to an online search engine, www.erythrogene.com, which presents data according to the allele nomenclature developed for clinical reporting by the International Society of Blood Transfusion. The established database deepens our knowledge on blood group polymorphism globally and provides a long-sought platform for future research.

ABO blood groups in relation to breast carcinoma incidence and associated prognostic factors in Moroccan women

The association between blood groups ABO and different types of diseases was established in several previous studies. Our aim was to seek the possible association between the ABO blood group and breast cancer-associated prognostic factors. The Chi-squared analytic test was used to compare phenotypic ABO distribution among Moroccan blood donors and 442 cases of women suffering from breast carcinoma with archived files in Maternity Ward of University Hospital C.H.U Ibn Rochd between 2008 and 2011. High incidence of breast carcinoma was observed in blood type B patients (p < 0.05). Blood type B was associated with breast carcinomas overexpressing human epidermal growth factor receptor HER2 (p < 0.05) and high risk of cancer at age over 70 years (p < 0.001). Blood type A was associated with high risk of cancer among women younger than 35 years old. Blood type A and AB were associated with high incidence of lymph node metastasis (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis has shown correlation between O blood type and estrogen receptor-positive tumor. Patients with blood group A, B, and AB were more likely to develop aggressive breast carcinoma. Further follow-up studies are necessary to clarify the role of ABH antigens in the progression of breast carcinoma.

The association between blood group and the risk of vascular disease in Quebec blood donors

BACKGROUND

The association between antigens A and B and arterial thrombosis, such as coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease or peripheral vascular disease, is still unclear. We evaluated the association between blood groups and thrombotic events in a cohort of blood donors from the province of Quebec, Canada.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Among all whole blood donors aged ≥18 years in Quebec between June 1990 and March 2009, a study sample with known blood groups was linked with the provincial hospitalisation and death records to count vascular events. All hospital admissions and deaths with codes for primary and relevant secondary diagnoses of coronary, cerebrovascular or peripheral diseases, including coronary heart disease interventions, were included. Cox regression was used to evaluate the hazard ratio associated between blood groups and these events adjusted for other baseline characteristics.

RESULTS

Among the blood donors, 64,686 had a known blood group and were linked with the provincial health databases. The mean age of these donors was 38 years. The Cox multivariate adjusted hazard ratio for coronary, cerebrovascular or peripheral diseases was 1.19 (95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.40) for subjects with blood group AB compared to those with blood group O. There were no statistically significant associations with other blood groups. Only among women aged ≥40 years did those with blood group A have a higher hazard ratio for coronary heart disease (1.40 [1.01-1.92]) than those with blood group O, after adjusting for other characteristics.

DISCUSSION

When compared to blood group O, only blood group AB was associated with a higher risk of hospitalisation or death because of thrombotic events such as coronary, cerebrovascular or peripheral diseases. However, the associations differed according to age and sex because only females aged ≥40 years with blood group A had a higher risk of coronary heart disease.

The prognostic value of ABO blood group in cancer patients

The antigens of the ABO system are expressed on red blood cell membranes as well as on the surface of several other normal and pathological cells and tissues. Following the first clinical observations more than 60 years ago, the role of ABO blood group in cancer biology has been intensely studied by several investigators, and it is now widely recognised that ABO antigens are associated with the risk of developing several types of tumours, namely pancreatic and gastric cancers. However, whether this association also affects the clinical outcome of cancer patients is less certain. In this narrative review, based on literature data, we discuss the role of ABO blood types as prognostic biomarkers in different types of cancers. The current knowledge of the underlying pathogenic mechanisms of the association is also analysed.

Risk Factors, Coronary Severity, Outcome and ABO Blood Group: A Large Chinese Han Cohort Study

ABO blood type locus has been reported to have ethnic difference and to be a pivotal genetic determinant of cardiovascular risk, whereas few prospective data regarding the impact on cardiovascular outcomes are available in a large cohort of patients with angiography-proven coronary artery disease, especially from the Chinese population. The objective of this study was to assess the prognostic role of blood type in future cardiovascular events (CVEs) in Chinese Han patients undergoing coronary angiography.The population of this prospective cohort study consisted of 3823 eligible patients, and followed annually to capture all CVEs. Baseline characteristics and ABO blood type were obtained. Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the risk of ABO blood type on CVEs.New CVEs occurred in 348 patients [263 (10.3%) non-O and 85 (7.8%) O] during a median period of 24.6 months follow-up. Significantly, non-O blood group was related to the presence and severity of coronary atherosclerosis and several risk factors including inflammatory markers. The log-rank test revealed that there was a significant difference between non-O and O blood groups in event-free survival analysis (P = 0.026). In particular, the Cox proportional hazards models revealed that non-O blood type was associated with increased CVEs risk [hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) 1.320 (1.033-1.685)], even after adjusting for potential confounders [adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) non-O: 1.289 (1.003-1.656); A: 1.083 (0.797-1.472); B: 1.481 (1.122-1.955); AB: 1.249 (0.852-1.831), respectively].Non-O blood type is associated with future CVEs in Chinese Han patients undergoing coronary angiography.

Repository of Human Blood Derivative Biospecimens in Biobank: Technical Implications

Human biorepositories are collection of biological samples and health information from a large number of participants generally in the cohort studies. The main purpose of established biobanks is organization of biomedical research for upgrading the knowledge of human disorders from cancer to infectious and rare disease. The studies of generation relationships and understanding the preclinical stages of ageing are also from the solution of bitobank. This review overview the significance and storage condition of biospecimens including whole blood, red blood cells (RBC), buffy coat, plasma, serum, DNA and RNA that derived from blood in human biobanks. These biological samples provide valuable information on the prevalence of germline mutations, epigenetic modifications or interaction between genes and proteins in associated with the development of certain types of disease. The quality of biospecimen in biobanks is a powerful tool for valid identification of biomarkers. Therefore optimum qualities of human biological samples in long time storage that have been assessed in several studies also indicate in this review.

Evolutionary aspects of ABO blood group in humans

The antigens of the ABO blood group system (A, B and H determinants) are complex carbohydrate molecules expressed on red blood cells and on a variety of other cell lines and tissues. Growing evidence is accumulating that ABO antigens, beyond their key role in transfusion medicine, may interplay with the pathogenesis of many human disorders, including infectious, cardiovascular and neoplastic diseases. In this narrative review, after succinct description of the current knowledge on the association between ABO blood groups and the most severe diseases, we aim to elucidate the particularly intriguing issue of the possible role of ABO system in successful aging. In particular, focus will be placed on studies evaluating the ABO phenotype in centenarians, the best human model of longevity.

The intriguing relationship between the ABO blood group, cardiovascular disease, and cancer

Other than being present at the surface of red blood cells, the antigens of the ABO blood group system are efficiently expressed by a variety of human cells and tissues. Several studies recently described the involvement of the ABO blood group in the pathogenesis of many human disorders, including cardiovascular disease and cancer, so that its clinical significance extends now beyond the traditional boundaries of transfusion medicine. In a large cohort study recently published in BMC Medicine and including over 50,000 subjects, Etemadi and colleagues reported that nearly 6% of total deaths and as many as 9% of cardiovascular deaths could be attributed to having non-O blood groups, a condition that was also found to be associated with increased risk of gastric cancer. In this commentary, the clinical implications of ABO blood groups are critically discussed and a possible common pathogenic mechanism involving the von Willebrand factor is described.