Volume 25, Issue 110, April 2021

The distribution of Duffy alleles and genotypes in a Western Saudi cohort

Waleed M Bawazir^1,2♦, Asim Khogeer³, Azoof Ashour¹, Mohammad Sabbag⁴, Raed Alserihi^1,6, Raed Felimban^1,6, Nora Hakami¹, Malik Altayar⁵, Ahemd Mirza¹, Refaat Elfayomi¹, Thoraia Shinawi¹

¹Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
²Hematology Research Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz university, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
³Research and Plan Department, General Directorate of Health Affairs Makkah Region, Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
⁴Regional Laboratory and Blood Bank, Health Affairs Makkah Region, Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
⁵Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
⁶Center of Innovation in Personalized Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

^♦Corresponding author
Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, and Hematology Research Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Email: wbawazir@kau.edu.sa

ABSTRACT

Background and Objective: The Duffy blood group is clinically significant in transfusion medicine, and is based on the presence of glycoproteins known as Fy antigens on the surface of red blood cells. In Saudi Arabia, serological studies on blood groups, including Fy antigens have been undertaken, however the population distribution of FY alleles and genotypes requires further elucidation. Therefore, we analysed samples from random Western Saudis blood donors to establish the frequency of FY alleles and genotypes in this cohort. Materials and Methods: Touchdown PCR and DNA sequencing was used to analyse the following single nucleotide polymorphisms, c.125G>A, c.1-67T>C and c.256C>T, in 349 random blood donors from Jeddah and Makkah. The c.298G>A polymorphism was used to determine the allele designation of weak FY alleles. Results: Our investigation showed no significant differences between Makkah and Jeddah blood donors, except for the c.125G>A polymorphism, where the A allele was significantly higher in Jeddah donors (odds ratio (OR) = 1.56 (1.09–2.24)). Most donors (39%) had the homozygous FY*02N.01/FY*02N.01 genotype, similar to African populations. Seven individuals had the FY*01N.01/FY*02N.01 genotype. Five had the predicted genotypes of FY*02/FY*02W.01, FY*01/FY*02W.01, FY*01/ FY*01W.02 and FY*02W.01/FY*02N.01. The remaining donors had predicted genotypes that expressed Fy antigens on the erythrocyte surface. Conclusion: The molecular genetic background of Western Saudis is similar to African populations, however in terms of allele and genotype frequencies, Western Saudi Arabia contains a unique genetic pool, distinct to other populations.

Keywords: Blood groups, Donors, Genetics, Genotyping

Medical Science, 2021, 25(110), 999-1009

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