A rapid molecular method (polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers) to genotype for ABO blood group and secretor status and its potential for organ transplants.

We hypothesize that kidneys from non-secretor blood group A2 donors may be used for transplant into non-A recipients. In addition, we believe that organs from A2 donors may be used in non-A recipients where the anti-A titer is low. In order to reliably identify non-secretor A2 kidneys from cadaver donors, we have developed a rapid molecular method. The PCR-SSP-based method was developed to genotype ABO blood group and secretor status. Samples of known blood group ABO and Lewis phenotype determined by standard serological methods were used to appraise the method. A retrospective renal cadaver donor study was conducted to assess the potential of using A2 non-secretor organs for transplantation into non-A recipients. Phenotype frequencies of blood group A donors were 76% and 24% for A1 and A2 subgroups respectively, whereas 27% of the donor sample population were non-secretors. Three donors were identified as A2 non-secretors, and analysis was performed to theoretically place the organs by considering them as blood group O. These results coupled with a detailed analysis of HLA type and antibody status of our panel suggests that using A2 donors would be a useful adjunct to strategies for transplanting highly sensitized patients and redressing the donor-recipient imbalance in terms of blood group.