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DISTRIBUTION OF THE Rh FACTOR IN AMERICAN INDIANS
K Landsteiner1, A S Wiener, G A Matson
1Laboratories of The Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of the City of New York, New York, and the Station Hospital, Fort Lewis, Washington.
The Journal of Experimental Medicine
|October 30, 2009
Summary
Rh agglutinogen distribution in American Indians shows unique patterns. Full-blooded individuals rarely lack the factor, and a specific Rh variant is more common compared to white populations.
Area of Science:
- Anthropology
- Genetics
- Hematology
Background:
- The Rh blood group system is crucial in transfusion medicine and population genetics.
- Understanding Rh agglutinogen distribution aids in tracing population migrations and genetic admixture.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and distribution of Rh agglutinogens in American Indian populations.
- To compare Rh factor patterns between full-blooded American Indians and those of mixed ancestry.
Main Methods:
- Erythrocytes from 120 full-blooded American Indians and 155 mixed-ancestry individuals were analyzed.
- Standard serological methods were employed to detect Rh agglutinogens.
- A specific Rh variant was identified using a specialized human serum.
Main Results:
- A high frequency of the Rh agglutinogen was observed in full-blooded American Indians, with only one individual lacking the factor.
- Individuals of mixed ancestry exhibited Rh factor distribution intermediate between white and pure Indian populations.
- A specific Rh variant was found to be more than twice as common in full-blooded American Indians compared to white individuals.
Conclusions:
- American Indian populations exhibit distinct Rh agglutinogen profiles.
- The Rh factor distribution supports genetic admixture models in mixed-ancestry groups.
- The increased frequency of a specific Rh variant warrants further investigation in indigenous populations.
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