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Thromb Haemost 1987; 58(01): 348
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1644062
Abstracts
FACTOR VIII
Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart

LEWIS BLOOD TYPE HAS AN EFFECT ON THE PLASMA CONCENTRATION OF FACTOR VIII

K H Ørstavik
1   Institute of Medical Genetics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
,
L Kornstad
2   National Blood Group Reference Laboratory, Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
,
H M Reisner
3   Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, U. S. A
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Publication History

Publication Date:
23 August 2018 (online)

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The plasma concentration of factor VIII is influenced by the ABO blood group. Individuals with blood group 0 have a lower concentration of both factor VIII coagulant activity, factor VIII coagulant antigen (VIIICAg) and factor VIII related antigen (VIHRAg) than individuals with group A, B and AB. Thirty percent of the genetic variance of VIIIRAg concentration is due to the ABO blood group. The Lewis substances Lea and Leb are closely related to the A, B and H substances. We therefore examined the effect of the presence of these antigens on the plasma concentration of VIIICAg and VIIIRAg. The material was 74 monozygotic and 84 dizygotic twin pairs and 58 blood donors with ABO blood group 0. VIIICAg was determined by a radioimmunoassay and VIIIRAg was determined by an electroimmunoassay. A higher mean concentration °f VIIICAg (147%) and VIIIRAg (81%) was found in individuals with the Le antigen on their red cell surface compared to the mean concentration of VIIICAg (101%) and VIIIRAg (66%) in individuals who lacked this antigen. The difference was found in individuals with ABO blood group 0 only. Individuals with red cell Lea antigen are non-secretors and individuals who lack this antigen but have the Leb antigen are secretors of the A, B and H substances. The lowest factor VIII concentration was found in group 0 secretors. The effect of the Lewis phenotype on factor VIII concentration is therefore most probably due to an effect of the secretor locus. This finding may have practical implications for the diagnosis of carriers of hemophilia A. it has been shown that information on the ABO blood group improves the discrimination between carriers and normals. We found that the effect of ABO blood group on the total variance of VIIIRAg was higher in secretors (21%) than in non-secretors (8%). Since the frequency of secretors varies widely, it is possible that the importance of the ABO locus in carrier detection is different in different populations. Lewis blood typing in materials of carriers and normals are necessary to determine the effect of the Lewis phenotype in carrier detection.