Automated typing of red blood cell and platelet antigens: a whole-genome sequencing study

Publication date: June 2018Source: The Lancet Haematology, Volume 5, Issue 6Author(s): William J Lane, Connie M Westhoff, Nicholas S Gleadall, Maria Aguad, Robin Smeland-Wagman, Sunitha Vege, Daimon P Simmons, Helen H Mah, Matthew S Lebo, Klaudia Walter, Nicole Soranzo, Emanuele Di Angelantonio, John Danesh, David J Roberts, Nick A Watkins, Willem H Ouwehand, Adam S Butterworth, Richard M Kaufman, Heidi L Rehm, Leslie E SilbersteinSummaryBackgroundThere are more than 300 known red blood cell (RBC) antigens and 33 platelet antigens that differ between individuals. Sensitisation to antigens is a serious complication that can occur in prenatal medicine and after blood transfusion, particularly for patients who require multiple transfusions. Although pre-transfusion compatibility testing largely relies on serological methods, reagents are not available for many antigens. Methods based on single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays have been used, but typing for ABO and Rh—the most important blood groups—cannot be done with SNP typing alone. We aimed to develop a novel method based on whole-genome sequencing to identify RBC and platelet antigens.MethodsThis whole-genome sequencing study is a subanalysis of data from patients in the whole-genome sequencing arm of the MedSeq Project randomised controlled trial (NCT01736566) with no measured patient outcomes. We created a database of molecular changes in RBC and platelet antigens and developed an automated antigen-typing algorith...
Source: The Lancet Haematology - Category: Hematology Source Type: research