Blood groups in Native Americans: a look beyond ABO and Rh

Area of Science:

• Genetics
• Anthropology
• Immunology

Background:

• Blood group systems beyond ABO and Rh are crucial for transfusion compatibility and population genetics.
• Native American populations have unique genetic profiles that may differ from admixed populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare blood group frequencies of Diego, Kell, Duffy, and Kidd systems in Kaingang and Guarani populations with historical data and other Brazilian regions.
• To investigate genetic admixture and ethnic variations in Brazilian Native American populations.

Main Methods:

• Genotyping of specific blood group variants (Diego, Kell, Duffy, Kidd) in Kaingang and Guarani populations.
• Comparison of obtained allele frequencies with historical data and diverse Brazilian regional populations.
• Analysis of genetic distances to infer population admixture.

Main Results:

• High frequencies of DI*01 (11.8% Kaingang, 6.8% Guarani) and FY*01 (57.6% Kaingang, 75.7% Guarani) alleles were observed.
• Reduced genetic distance over time suggests ongoing admixture in Kaingang and Guarani populations.
• Significant differences in Diego, Kidd, and Duffy blood group marker frequencies were found compared to other Brazilians and Native Americans.

Conclusions:

• Red blood cell polymorphism frequencies in these Native American groups differ markedly from blood donors when considering systems beyond ABO and Rh.
• The findings underscore the necessity for improved ethnic characterization of blood unit recipients to ensure transfusion safety and accuracy.