Blood Groups: More than Inheritance of Antigenic Substances - Susceptibility to Some Diseases

Abstract

Blood group antigens represent polymorphic traits inherited among individuals and populations. The objective of this chapter is to review articles that have reported; the association between blood group antigens and susceptibility to some diseases. Findings showed that O blood group had a greater frequency of severe infections such as E coli, cholera and blood group A was associated with incidence of smallpox and some bacterial infections. These are principally based on presence or absence of “H-like” and “A and B-like” antigens markers. Antigens A, B and H are connected to N-glycans of vWF and reduces the half-life of the protein (10 hours) for group O while non-O groups, 25 hours. The loss of A, B, and H antigens as malignancy progresses was linked to potential metastasis. Similarly, some tumors have A or A-like antigens this explains the propensity of group A to develop tumors. Blood type incompatibility between mother and foetus sensitizes the mother to develop alloantibodies that could potentially cause death of the foetus in utero, a condition known hydrops. Reviewed articles have reported close link between blood group antigens and susceptibility diseases. More studies are required to rationalize the mechanism associated to this.