Human blood groups in Dakahlya, Egypt.

New data on blood groups among Egyptians (Dakahlya province) are obtained by studying eight blood group systems: ABO, Rhesus, MNSs, Kell, Duffy, Kidd, P and Lewis. Comparing our results with the data reported in neighbouring countries, we found in Egypt a high frequency of B, NS, cDe and K genes, a moderately high frequency of P and the presence of Fy gene. The Egyptian population appears as a mixture of African, Asiatic and Arabian characteristics.

[Evaluation of erythrocyte survival by the determination of glycosylated hemoglobin. Clinical value]. / Appréciation de la durée de vie des globules rouges par le dosage de l'hémoglobine glycosylée. Intérêt clinique.

In normoglycaemic subjects the haemoglobin glycosylation rate primarily depends on duration of erythrocyte life. Measurements of glycosylated haemoglobin therefore can be used to evaluate erythrocyte life. Indeed, glycosylated haemoglobin is significantly reduced (p less than 0.001) in patients with autoimmune haemolytic anaemia or Minkowski-Chauffard syndrome as compared with patients with non-haemolytic anaemia. In addition, there is a strong correlation (r = 0.92) in non-diabetic subjects between the level of glycosylated haemoglobin and the percentage of daily haemolysis, as determined by a method using 51 Cr-labelled antologous red cells.

Transplant of rhesus-positive bone marrow in a rhesus-negative woman having anti-rhesus D alloantibodies.

A woman affected by acute myeloblastic leukemia was grafted with HLA A, B and D compatible rhesus-positive bone marrow from her brother. Before grafting, she had anti-D alloantibodies (1/512 IAT, 2.9 micrograms/ml). To prevent the destruction of donor red blood cells, four plasma exchanges and a conditioning regimen (total-body irradiation 800 rad, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate) were carried out to decrease anti-D from 2.9 to less than 0.02 micrograms/ml on day 0. The anti-D level was 0.8 micrograms/ml on day 12 and was decreased to 0.2 micrograms/ml by eight plasma exchanges until day 35. Anti-D antibodies were undetectable with Lalezari's technique on day 45. Engraftment was obtained on day 25 (3,000 leukocytes/mm3 and 50% erythroblasts in bone marrow). The patient died from aspergillosis and graft-versus-host disease on day 54. This observation shows that an engraftment of rhesus-positive bone marrow in a recipient with anti-D antibody is possible.

Improvement of enzyme-linked antiglobulin test by using an antiglobulin linked to glucose oxidase: description of the technique.

The classic enzyme-linked antiglobulin test (ELAT) used to detect and quantify the amount of IgG antibodies on red blood cells (RBC) is sensitive to hemolysis and erythrocyte enzymatic activities. We describe a new ELAT by using glucose oxidase (GO) linked to antihuman IgG. The optical density base line of GO-ELAT, alkaline phosphatase-ELAT and peroxidase-ELAT were, respectively, 0.180, 0.350 and 0.550. This very low baseline of GO-ELAT was due to the absence of hemolysis (the pH of the GO substrate is 6.5). This technique is ten times more sensitive than the indirect antiglobulin test and detects up to 1 ng/ml of anti-D alloantibodies. Additional advantages of the technique are (1) there is no intrinsic GO enzyme in RBC, and (2) it is not necessary to fix the RBC.

[Immunohemolytic complications observed during transfusion of more than 2 million units of blood]. / Accidents immuno-hémolytiques observés au cours de la transfusion de plus de deux millions d'unités de sang.

From 1955 through 1978, 150 immunohemolytic accidents of variable gravity have been documented, representing an incidence of 7.1 cases out of 100 000 transfused blood units. These accidents can be classified as follows: 83 cases due to ABO incompatibility, 42 cases due to an irregular antibody in the recipient (six times due to anti-D), 20 cases induced by passive maternal antibodies in the newborn and 5 cases which were attributed to injected anti-A or anti-B antibodies. Ten deaths were recorded, all ascribed to ABO (8 cases) and to Rhesus D (2 cases) incompatibilities. In the present study, a major decrease in the incidence of ABO accidents has been observed, especially since 1966 with systematic controls being performed at the patient's bedside. However, irregular antibodies were the cause of the conflicts in only 10% of the cases when the study was started, and is now incriminated in 8 cases out of 10.

[Fetal death and benign hemolytic disease of the newborn from anti-Cellano alloimmunization: 2 new case reports]. / Mort foetale et maladie hémolytique bénigne du nouveau-né par allo-immunisation anti-Cellano: Deux nouvelles observations.

The first case is provided by a french women (KK, husband k/k) who delivered a first healthy full term infant in 1970 and received one blood unit at this time. In 1972 and 1975, his second and fourth pregnancies ended by spontaneous abortion. In 1974 and 1976, she delivered stillborn infants with hydrops fetalis during the sixth month. In serum, anti-k antibody reacted by the indirect antiglobulin test with a titer of 4 096. In the second case, french women delivered a first full term female infant who had a strongly positive direct antiglobulin test. The mother had received one blood unit ten years before during nephrectomy. Her red blood cell were KK and her husband was kk. She had a anti-Cellano in serum reactive in the indirect antiglobulin test with a titer of 16. The infant developed a mild hyperbilirubinemia and recovered without treatment these two cases confirm the variable effect of maternal anti-k antibody evidenced by few other published cases.

[Erythrocyte phenotypes and gene frequency of the ABO system in the Congo population. Evaluation based on 5,400 subjects]. / Phénotypes érythrocytaires et fréquence des gènes du système ABO dans la population congolaise. Estimation à partir de 5.400 suject.

The purpose of this study is to determine the gene frequencies of the ABO blood groups in Congo where there is no data available. High frequency of O gene (0,7252 is noted. The frequency of gene A found to be close to the B gene's. These data are obtained from 5 400 persons and are of the same order that the published results concerning Equatorial Africa peoples.

[Perinatal hemolytic disease due to incompatibility in the U system (author's transl)]. / Maladie hémolytique périnatale par incompatibilité foeto-maternelle dans le système U.

We report the case of a 3 week-old black infant who presented with hemolytic anemia due to an incompatibility with his mother in the U blood group system. Jaundice, present on the 3rd day of life, was considered as physiologic jaundice. A positive Coombs test led to the discovery in the mother's serum of an immune antibody against the U public antigen.

[Exclusion of MNSS, Kidd and Gm from the extreme end of the short portion of chromosome 8]. / Exclusion de MNSs, Kidd et Gm de l'extremite du bras court du chromosome 8.

11 blood and seric group markers were studied in a case of 46,XX,del(8)(qter yields p22 :) in order to contribute to the exclusion map. MNSs and Jk are informative and could be excluded from the region. The proband is also definitly heterozygous for immunoglobulin Gm groups which were tentatively assigned to the short arm of chromosome 8 or 12.

[Changes in the erythrocyte membrane during blood preservation. Influence of progesterone]. / Modifications de la membrane érythrocytaire au cours de la conservation du sang. Influence de la progestérone

Modifications of the erythrocyte membrane during blood conservation are studied. The functional condition of the membrane was observed by means of the biosynthesis of lecithines; modifications occurring at the level of the composition of the membrane proteins were then looked for. The study has been carried out on fresh blood and on blood stroed for 8 days, 15 days, 29 days and 43 days. Another series of assays has been done on stored blood in the presence of progesterone after the same conservation periods. The metabolic activity of the membrane, in the lecithine biosynthesis is studied by measuring the incorporation of fatty acid in the lysolecithines when the membrane is incubated in the presence of linoleic acid or [14] palmitic acid and coenzyme A, or in the presence of [14C] palmitoyl coenzyme A. Variations have been observed during blood conservation: the incorporation or radioactive fatty acid increases during the first 15 days of conservation, then it decreases to a value nearing the original value after 43 days. When the blood is stored in the presence of progesterone (1,6 mumole/1) a more stable incorporation of the fatty acid is observed; variations during conservation are weaker than without progesterone. Membrane proteins have been studied by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel after solubilisation by sodium dodecyl sulfate. The intensity of protein zones after coloring, decreases during conservation especially in proteins with a high molecular weight. A quantitative study has been made by chromatography on Sephadex G200 of dansylated proteins with a fluorimetric dosage. In the presence of progesterone, the decrease of the rate of proteins with a high molecular weight is weaker. Therefore, progesterone is proved to allow a better conservation of erythrocyte membrane proteins. As a conclurion, the results of these works show a positive action of progesterone on the erythrocyte membrane during blood conservation.

[Detection and prognostic significance of Ag "e" and its antibody in the course of HB virus infections[]. / Détection et signification pronostique de l'Ag "e" et de son anticorps au cours des infections à virus HB

A new antigen antibody system the e Ag and Ab has been investigated by immunodiffusion and counterelectrophoresis in the serum of 509 subjects. Those included 242 patients with polyarteritis, acute chronic or fulminant hepatitis; 85 hemodialysis HBs Ag carriers and 182 asymptomatic HBs Ag carrier blood donors. Neither e Ag nor anti- e were detected in any of the non hepatitis B virus associated cases. Counterelectrophoresis was found to be more sensitive than immunodiffusion and detected either e Ag or anti- e in 24 p. cent more cases. e Ag was found among HBs Ag positive patients with polyarteritis, chronic hepatitis or under going hemodialysis. Anti- e was observed in 28 p. cent to 66 p. cent of asymptomatic HBs Ag carriers. The study of the nature and prognostic significance of e Ag and anti- e appear of major importance in the understanding and follow up of HB virus infections.

Alpha-Fetoprotein levels in normal males from seven ethnic groups with different hepatocellular carcinoma risks.

Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) levels of 1,335 males (15 years and older) of seven ethnic groups (Chinese, Indians, and Malays from Singapore, Caucasians from Lyon, and Blacks from Nairobi, forest, and the savanna region of the Ivory Coast) were determined by radioimmunoassay. A few elevated levels (up to 30 nanounits/ml) were detected in some normal individuals, especially in the older age-groups. In addition, there was a systematic age-dependency of AFP levels particularly evident in the groups from Singapore-Lyon, in which there was a 50% AFP increase between the ages of 20 and 40. Comparison between Africans on the one hand and people from Singapore-Lyon on the other hand revealed highly significant differences (p less than 0.001), especially in the younger groups, whereas Chinese, Malays, and Indians from Singapore had very similar AFP pattern; this suggests an important role for environmental factors in the regulation of AFP levels. The age dependency of the presumed effect of environmental factors is in keeping with experimental data showing that young animals respond more vigorously to AFP-stimulating factors. Although the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) differs in the three Singapore groups (the highest in Chinese and the lowest in Indians), no relationship was observed in this study between mean AFP level and HCC incidence in Singapore.

PIP: The levels of alpha fetoproteins (AFP) were quantitated in 7 ethnic groups (Chinese, Indians, and Malays from Singapore, Caucasians from Lyon, and Blacks from the Nairobi, forest, and savanna region of the Ivory Coast) by radioimmunoassay. Sera from 1335 men (aged 15 years or older) were assayed. Mean AFP levels increased with age and varied among populations. A few elevated (30 nU/ml) AFP values were detected in normal individuals, mostly from older age groups. The systematic age-dependency was particularly evident in groups from Singapore-Lyon, in which there was a 50% increase in AFP between age 20 and 40 years. When Africans were compared on the one hand and people from Singapore-Lyon were compared on the other, highly significant differences were revealed in AFP patterns (P .001). This was true especially in the younger groups; whereas Chinese, Malays, and Indians from Singapore had very similar AFP patterns, suggesting an important role for environmental factors in regulation of AFP levels. The age dependency observed paralleled experimental data where laboratory animals responded most vigrously to AFP-stimulating factors the younger they were. Although the hepatocellular carcinoma incidence differs in the 3 Singapore groups (Chinese highest and Indians lowest), no relationship was observed bwtween mean AFP level and hepatocellular carcinoma incidence in Singapore.