04/11/2024
New Blood Group Has Officially Been Discovered:
Researchers have discovered a new blood group system called MAL, resolving a 50-year-old mystery surrounding the AnWj antigen.
The AnWj antigen, which was identified in 1972, had an unknown genetic background until now. The research team discovered that the AnWj antigen is connected to the Mal protein, and nearly 99.9% of people have this antigen.
People who don't have the AnWj antigen, known as AnWj-negative, usually have certain medical conditions like blood disorders or cancer, which can stop the antigen from showing up.
However, a small number of people are born without the AnWj antigen because they have a specific change, or deletion, in the MAL gene. This finding allows for the development of new genotyping tests to detect individuals lacking the AnWj antigen, improving transfusion safety and care for rare patients worldwide.
The discovery is significant as AnWj-negative individuals can suffer severe reactions if they receive blood containing the AnWj antigen, making accurate identification crucial. Blood group antigens are unique markers found on the surface of red blood cells.
These antigens, composed of sugars or proteins, play a crucial role in determining a person's blood type within systems like ABO and Rh.
While the function of many blood group antigens remains unknown, they are critical in blood transfusions. If incompatible blood types are mixed, the recipient's immune system may recognize the donor's antigens as foreign and attack the transfused blood, leading to serious complications.
Understanding blood group antigens is essential for safe and effective blood transfusions and other medical procedures.
