Enhanced agglutination reaction of ABO subgroups by gold nanoparticle solution: implication for identification of ABO...

Although the ABO blood group is the most significant in blood group system in human, other subgroups system is also important to be concerned in blood banking laboratory. ABO subgroups have weak antigen potency on red blood cell. In some cases, they could not been detected by cell grouping and serum grouping methods. This may lead to misinterpretation of ABO typing which will cause serious problems for transfusion and transplantation. Gold nanoparticle solution can increase the agglutination reaction of ABO typing. Thus far, the investigation of ABO blood group system has been performed using gold nanoparticle solution. Samples were tested comparing between with and without gold nanoparticle solution. After reading the agglutination reaction, supernatants were collected and measured at the optical density at 760 nm by spectrophotometer. The optical density of 2-5% cell suspension and monoclonal antibody was higher than in the tube of 2-5% cell suspension, monoclonal antibody and gold nanoparticle solution. By adding the gold nanoparticle solution, the agglutination reaction was increased ranging from 7.0-37.7% (median 15.0%) for ABO grouping system whereas 12.1-50.9% (median 23.4%) was observed in ABO subgroups. It could decrease the chance of misinterpretation by 33.3%. By using gold nanoparticle solution might be the alternative way for investigation of weak antigen potency on red blood cell.