Transfusion - Rh Blood Group Flashcards
What is the ‘rhesus group’ now called?
Rh group
Why was the Rhesus group renamed?
(5)
Group was originally named rhesus due to a misunderstanding
an anti-rhesus monkey antibody was found to react with 85% of a panel of human red cells
The year prior to this a woman expeirienced HDFN and it was found tat her plasma reacted against the same 85% of red cells
Hence, the causative antibody in the HDFN case was thought to be this ‘anti-rhesus’ antibody
It was later discovered that this HDFN antibody was infact an anti-D and the anti-rhesus antibody was infact an anti-Lw -> both Lw and D are coexpressed hence the same reactivity of cells
What was the anti-rhesus antibody later found to be?
It was found to be an anti-Lw
What is clinically important about the D antigen?
How frequent is anti-D formation?
The D antigen is the next important antigen after A and B in transfusion practice
The formation of anti-D in a D- individual happens in approximately 80% of D+ to D- transfusions
The formation of anti-D happens in about 16% of D positive delivery from a D negative mother
What are the only circumstances where you would give D+ blood to a D- patient?
(3)
In order to induce anti-D in male volunteers to produce anti-D product for prevention of HDFN
Can be given to Males - often done in MMUH as long as no anti-D
Can be given to women over childbearing years
How immunogenic is D?
70%
What are the most immunogenic antigens?
D 70%
K 10%
c 4%
E 3.3%
k 1.6%
e 1.1%
Fya 0.5%
C 0.2%
What antibody class causes HDFN
IgG
What antibodies bind complement
ABO
KIDD
DUFFY
When was RhD discovered?
1939
Who discovered RhD
Levine and Stetson described the importance of the group in a case of HDFN in 1939
Karl Landsteiner and Alexander Wiener discovered the Rhesus factor
When were the RhCE antigens discovered?
They were discovered by the mid 1940s
Explain the genetic expression of the RhCE gene
Found on chromosome 1
four alleles for four antigens
Codominantly expressed
Talk about the production of anti RHCE antibodies
There are >55 antigens which stimulate antibody production
An anti-E can occur wihtout immunological stimulation -> tends to be IgM in nature (all others IgG)
Antibodies are tipically IgG, react at 37 degrees
What gene encodes the Rh group
Two highly homologous genes RhD and RHCE located on chromosome 1
What does the RhD and RHCE genes encoded?
non glycosylated membrane protein
These polypeptides span the membrane 12 times and have approx 417 amino acids
What does the RHAG encode?
It encodes for a similar, glycosylated protein which is necessary for rbc expression of Rh proteins
How did the RhD gene come about?
The RHCE gene was the original gene
The RhD gene later rose as a duplication of the RhCE gene
What does the RHAG do?
The RHAG helps structure of red cells
?? need more info on this
What happens in the Rhnull phenotype?
You will have no RhD or RhCE
You will have a mild haemolytic anaemia
Very rare but some people still have it in Ireland
What other antigens are found associated with the Rh structure and are therefore lost/expression decreased with Rhnull?
Diego
Duffy
LW
MNS
What is the function of the Rh as part of the red cell?
Ammonium ion transportation through the cell
Kind of redundant though as other structures also do this job
=> main function of Rh is red blood cell structure