Serological and molecular analysis of the B(A) subtype in China-A systematic review.

Objective: To study the serological and molecular biological characteristics of the B(A) subtype and its geographical distribution in China through case discussion and systematic review.

Methods: A case of the B(A)02 subtype previously found in our laboratory was retrospectively analysed. The distribution characteristics and specific serological and genotypic characteristics of the B(A) subtype in China were systematically evaluated by searching four major Chinese databases.

Results: In a previous case of an abnormal blood group, both the proband and her father were found to be genotype B(A)02/O02, while the mother was normal type B. After a systematic search, irrelevant studies were screened out, and 88 studies were included for analysis. The results showed that the B(A)04 subtype was significantly more frequently reported in the north than in the south, while the B(A)02 subtype was predominant in the southwest. The A antigen of the B(A)02 subtype reacts with monoclonal anti-A reagents in a wide range, while the A antigen of the B(A)04 subtype has a weak agglutination intensity of less than or equal to 2+.

Conclusion: The results showed that the B(A) subtype has specific characteristics in the Chinese population, and this study further enriched the serological and molecular biological characteristics of the B(A) subtype.