A team of scientists from the University of Bristol and NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) has discovered new blood group system, known as MAL. This discovery solves a 50-year-old mystery surrounding the AnWj blood group antigen, first discovered in 1972.
A genetic test has been developed by the study team, under the direction of senior research scientist Louise Tilley, to identify patients who do not have the AnWj antigen. This breakthrough will make it easier to discover appropriate blood donors and provide better care for patients who are uncommon.
Twenty years of work have gone into this initiative, and Tilley said, “It’s challenging to quantify the exact number of people who will benefit from this test. However, NHSBT is the last resort for around 400 patients each year worldwide.”
The discovery has broad implications and will help patients everywhere. The International Blood Group Reference Laboratory of NHSBT in Filton has created a test that may be applied to already-existing genotyping platforms and supplies antibodies for study to other countries.
The head of the laboratory, Nicole Thornton, emphasised that unravelling the AnWj mystery is a considerable challenge. In order to identify donors and recipients who are genetically AnWj-negative, the new test will be incorporated into the already-existing genotyping platforms.
This development not only highlights the lab’s significance on a global scale but also provides opportunities for the discovery of new blood group systems, improving patient care everywhere. Global patient safety and efficacy from blood transfusions are expected to increase with this new breakthrough.
