The research team, led by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) scientists in South Gloucestershire and supported by the University of Bristol, found a blood group called MAL.
They identified the genetic background of the previously known AnWj blood group antigen, which was discovered in 1972 but unknown until now after this world-first test was developed.
This is a horribly written article about an exciting discovery.
Essentially, they’ve discovered that some humans don’t actually have the AnWj antigen, where it was assumed that all humans had some antigen configuration. And they’ve found a way to test for the missing antigens.
So… I’m a dumbass. What’s the benefit of the antigens or lack thereof? Are there types of diseases that are more prevalent with or without these things?
The article didn’t really go into any details as to how or why this will result in saving lives. Just that they can test for it.
Give someone blood with antigens when they don’t have antigens and things go badly. Now they can test for non-antigen blood and ensure they give the correct blood and save their life.
Antigens are molecules that bind with antibodies - which is to say that they are things which trigger immune responses. In human blood, antigens are protein markers which are part of red blood cells.
Blood antigens are important because giving a patient blood which contains antigens that their antibodies react to will cause the immune system to attack the donor blood as if it were bacteria or another foreign invader. If you receive a liter of blood that your antibodies react to, your immune system will destroy the foreign blood (so you still need blood) and also your kidneys will start to fail because they’re being overwhelmed with a liter of dead blood cells all at once.
Most people are familiar with A/B/O +/-, but the reality is far more complicated. Hundreds of different protein markers have been identified in human blood. Not all of them are clinically relevant in the sense that they can cause rejection, and not all of them have easy identification tests. The more precise and thorough the antigen testing can be, the less likely that a blood transfusion will accidentally kill a patient.