<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Recent evidence shows that, among Brazilians, the distribution of weak D types significantly differs from that represented in people of European descent, with a high percentage of weak D types 38 and 11. Our goal was to determine the population frequencies of weak D types 38 and 11 in a Brazilian population and to validate a molecular approach to identify these two variants. Blood donors were sequentially enrolled in the study in a 5-year period. Donors with serologic weak D phenotype had the <italic>RHD</italic> coding region sequenced. The frequencies of weak D type 38 and weak D type 11 (CDe-associated) were calculated. Two allele-specific– polymerase chain reaction (AS-PCR) assays were designed to detect <italic>RHD*weak D type 38</italic> and <italic>RHD*weak partial 11</italic> and were validated with samples positive and negative for these two variants, respectively. A total of 618,542 donors were enrolled, of which 265 presented with a serologic weak D phenotype. When considering all donors evaluated, the frequencies of weak D types 38 and 11 were 0.013 and 0.002 percent, respectively. In the subgroup of donors with a serologic weak D phenotype, the frequencies of weak D types 38 and 11 were 30.2 and 4.9 percent, respectively. The two proposed AS-PCR assays for detection of <italic>RHD*weak D type 38</italic> and <italic>RHD*weak partial 11</italic> showed 100 percent accuracy. The frequencies of weak D types 38 and 11 among Brazilians are high compared to that previously described for other populations. The AS-PCR assays to detect <italic>RHD*weak D type 38</italic> and <italic>RHD*weak partial 11</italic> represent potentially helpful tools for investigating Brazilian individuals with these weak D phenotypes.</p>
</abstract>

Recent evidence shows that, among Brazilians, the distribution of weak D types significantly differs from that represented in people of European descent, with a high percentage of weak D types 38 and 11. Our goal was to determine the population frequencies of weak D types 38 and 11 in a Brazilian population and to validate a molecular approach to identify these two variants. Blood donors were sequentially enrolled in the study in a 5-year period. Donors with serologic weak D phenotype had the RHD coding region sequenced. The frequencies of weak D type 38 and weak D type 11 (CDe-associated) were calculated. Two allele-specific– polymerase chain reaction (AS-PCR) assays were designed to detect RHD*weak D type 38 and RHD*weak partial 11 and were validated with samples positive and negative for these two variants, respectively. A total of 618,542 donors were enrolled, of which 265 presented with a serologic weak D phenotype. When considering all donors evaluated, the frequencies of weak D types 38 and 11 were 0.013 and 0.002 percent, respectively. In the subgroup of donors with a serologic weak D phenotype, the frequencies of weak D types 38 and 11 were 30.2 and 4.9 percent, respectively. The two proposed AS-PCR assays for detection of RHD*weak D type 38 and RHD*weak partial 11 showed 100 percent accuracy. The frequencies of weak D types 38 and 11 among Brazilians are high compared to that previously described for other populations. The AS-PCR assays to detect RHD*weak D type 38 and RHD*weak partial 11 represent potentially helpful tools for investigating Brazilian individuals with these weak D phenotypes.

Weak D types 38 and 11: determination of frequencies in a Brazilian population and validation of an easy molecular assay for detection

Immunohematology

Recent evidence shows that, among Brazilians, the distribution of weak D types significantly differs from that represented in people of European descent, with...

Weak D types 38 and 11: determination of frequencies in a Brazilian population and validation of an easy molecular assay for detection

Published Online: Feb 17, 2021

Page range: 47 - 53

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/immunohematology-2020-040

Keywords
weak D, blood donors, weak D type 38, weak D type 11

© 2020 M.R. Dezan et al., published by Sciendo

Weak D types 38 and 11: determination of frequencies in a Brazilian population and validation of an easy molecular assay for detection

Published Online: Feb 17, 2021

Page range: 47 - 53

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/immunohematology-2020-040

Keywordsweak D, blood donors, weak D type 38, weak D type 11

© 2020 M.R. Dezan et al., published by Sciendo

Keywords
weak D, blood donors, weak D type 38, weak D type 11