Genotypic Distribution of MNS Red Blood Cell Antigens Among Healthy Blood Donors in Northern Pakistan

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Blood transfusion is a life-saving measure but the body may react to the new blood, causing more harm than good. Matching donor red blood cells to recipient antigens prevents allo-immunization. In MNS, anti-M, anti-N antibodies are mostly clinically benign, anti-S and anti-s antibodies cause transfusion reactions. Our objective was to establish a genotypic profile of the MNS blood group in Pakistani population. METHODS: This study was conducted at Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion, Rawalpindi from March - August 2022, on 385 blood donors after approval by Institutional Review Board. Written informed consent was taken, ABO and Rh phenotyping was performed with commercially available antisera, Genotyping was done using PCR-SSP for different antigens, along with positive and negative controls. RESULTS: Mean age of participants was 29.4 years with ? 7.11; 98.4%(379) males,1.6%(6) females. ABO and RhD phenotyping revealed: A = 23.4% (90), B = 40.3% (155), AB = 6.2% (24), O = 30.1% (116), RhD +ve = 88.1% (339) and RhD -ve = 11.9% (46). The genotypic prevalence of MNS antigens was M = 75.6%(291), N = 43.6%(168), S = 60.5%(233) and s = 75.6%(291) respectively. The most common genotypes were N/N (n=41, 73.2%) and S/s was (n= 193, 82.8%). CONCLUSION: This research showed high genetic prevalence of N/N and S/s antigens in donors. Therefore, blood banks should routinely start antigen typing for MNS blood groups in addition to ABO and RhD. The outcomes of our study may assist them in establishing an extended phenotyping/ genotyping protocol to prevent any adverse transfusion event.