Specific Combinations of Erythrocyte Group Antigens in Blood Donors.

Blood groups are inherited biological characteristics that do not change throughout life only in healthy people. Blood group antigens determine the adaptation of a human, as a biological species, to the surrounding environment. Our goal was to study the combination and frequency characteristics of three group systems (ABO, RH, KELL) in blood donors. The blood of 743 donors (aged ≥ 18 years) has been investigated on erythrocyte blood group antigens (521 male and 222 female). The sample has been provided from diagnostic laboratory of "Health Centre Medina Ltd" of Batumi. Research was agreed with hematology department of the clinic. Blood typing of the sample has been carried out on the basis of immunogenetic laboratory of Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University. The express method with universal mono-clone antibodies was used in order to reveal blood group system antigens. ABO blood group are distributed the following order: O > A > B > AB. We allocated 16 phenotypic groups. O, Rh+, K- (38.62 ± 1.7%) are represented with the highest percentage among donors and a rather large number of the investigated donors (287 donors) is the carrier of this phenotype. A frequency distribution of the A, Rh+, K- phenotype group 10% (28.93 ± 1.6) was less. 215 donors carry A, Rh+, K- phenotype combination. O, Rh+, K+ and A, Rh+, K+ variations of the phenotype are represented with an equal percentage (3.23 ± 0.4%). 7.94 ± 0.9% donors are characterized by features of the O, Rh-, K- Erythrocyte group. A frequency distribution of B, Rh+, K- phenotype is slightly less - 6.86 ± 0.9%. A, Rh-, K combination of phenotype occurs with a frequency of 4.97 ± 0.7%, and AB, Rh+, K- occurs with a frequency of 2.28 ± 0.5%. I n the donor population there were only single cases of B, Rh-, K+ (0.13 ± 0.01); AB, Rh+, K+ (0.13 ± 0.01); AB, Rh-, K- (0.40 ± 0.2); B, Rh+, K+ (0.26 ± 0.1); O, Rh-, K+ (0.40 ± 0.2); A, Rh-, K+ (0.67 ± 0.2) combination of phenotype. The phenotype AB, Rh-, K+ was not identified. The existence of this database will increase the safety level of transfusion, widen donors database and allow the clinics to find quickly the rare combination of blood group for transfusion and decrease of the risk of post-transfusion complications.

SMOKING INCLINED GROUPS ACCORDING TO THE PHENOTYPE OF THE PTC GENE.

The ability to sense phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) bitterness represents a well-known and convenient genetic marker for human populations and biomedical studies. Two basic phenotypes can be dichotomized by PTC sensitivity: PTC-sensitive or "tester" and PTC-insensitive or "non-tester". The majority of the population (approximately 70%) belong to the PTC-sensitive phenotype, while the remaining 30% are PTC-insensitive. The distribution of PTC sensitivities varies by consumption of alcohol, bitter coffee and cigarettes. This study was conducted among randomly selected 90 cigarette smokers living in the Ajara Region of Georgia. Our results indicate that PTC-insensitive phenotypes are correlated with cigarette consumption and should be considered as an important genetic proxy for cigarette use. This marker may prove very useful for identifying adolescents who might benefit from a focused smoking prevention intervention.

The association of some genetic factors with pulmonary tuberculosis in Georgian and Azeri ethno groups.

Pulmonary Tuberculosis (TB) is still one of the major public health problems. Over the last half decade the significant problem is an increased ratio of drug-resistant TB cases. TB is as well the most significant infectious disease in the country of Georgia. Pulmonary tuberculosis is assessed as a complex infectious disease affected by both, environmental and genetic factors. Present study was undertaken to find out the correlation between pulmonary tuberculosis and erythrocyte blood groups antigens determinant alleles (ABO - r, p, q; Rh D+, Rh D- and MN - p, q) in two different, Georgian and Azeri, ethno groups. Immune-serological methods, direct reaction of universal monoclonal antibodies were used. Materials processed by biostatistician methods. The study had shown different correlation of pulmonary tuberculosis to erythrocyte blood groups determinant alleles in Georgian and Azeri ethno groups. In Georgian ethno group pulmonary TB correlates with ABO-r and p, Rh-D,+' and MN-p alleles, whether ABO-q, Rh-D,-' and MN-p in Azeri ethno group.

Composition of erythrocytic (ABO, Rh-Hr, Kell, MN) group antigens characteristic of the Ozurgeti district's population.

Erythrocytic group antigens represent a genetically stably determined trait. Investigation of antigens of the said system in different regions is of the greatest importance in terms of both the creation of demographic data of the region as well as practical medicine, especially for transplantology and transfusiology. The peripheral or venous blood of 232 local natives (healthy donors) of Ozurgeti district of Guria region has been taken as the test subject. The test subject was taken by random methods in different vilifies (Bakhvi, Mshvidobauri, Ozurgeti, Likhauri, Gurianta, Bokhvauri, Dvadzu, Pampaleti) To identify the ABO, Rh-Hr, Kell, MN system antigens, an express-method using monoclonal antibodies has been applied. In studying the ABO system, it was fixed that the highest distribution frequency was characteristic of the 0(I) group (52.3±3.2%), then follows the group A(II) (38.5±3.2%). The distribution frequency of the B(III) group is (8.2±1.8%) and that of AB(IV)--(0.8±0.5). The population's 85.2±2.32% is the carrier of the Rh+ phenotypic group, while 14.7±2.3% belongs to the Rh-phenotypic group. In studying the concentration of alleles, the low concentration of p(K) allele was detected that equaled 0.2; the concentration of q(K) allele made 0.8, that of p(M)--0.65, and that of q (N) - 035.