A team of scientists from NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) and the University of Bristol has uncovered a new blood group system, named MAL, which solves a decades-old puzzle surrounding the AnWj antigen, first discovered in 1972. This breakthrough, led by senior research scientist Louise Tilley, also brings the development of a genetic test to identify patients missing the AnWj antigen. This test is expected to significantly improve care for rare patients and aid in finding compatible blood donors.
Tilley, who has worked on this project for 20 years, explained to the BBC that while it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact number of beneficiaries, around 400 patients each year worldwide rely on NHSBT as a last resort for compatible blood. The research has global implications, allowing for better patient care and safer transfusions.
The team’s key findings include identifying the genetic basis of the AnWj antigen and the discovery of the MAL blood group system, which becomes the 47th known blood group system. The MAL gene’s homozygous deletions are linked to the AnWj-negative phenotype, enabling the creation of new genotyping tests to detect individuals who lack the AnWj antigen and reduce transfusion complications.
Philip Brown, a leukemia survivor, emphasized the importance of this discovery, saying, “As someone who has received multiple transfusions and a bone marrow transplant, I know firsthand the critical need for safer blood matches.”
Nicole Thornton, Head of the International Blood Group Reference Laboratory, highlighted the international significance of the discovery, noting that it will allow the design of more accurate genotyping tests to identify patients and donors with this rare antigen.
