A ‘New’ Allele Giving Further Insight into the LW Blood Group System

Abstract

Nea, a red cell antigen present in 6% of Finnish people but in < 1% of other Europeans tested, is shown to be part of the LW system. Tests on 10,025 Finnish donors show the antithetical relationship of anti-Nea (proposed name anti-LWb) and anti-LW made by LW3 people (proposed name anti-LWa). Tests on families of prevously reported LW3 propositi and of LW(a-b+) Finnish donors support the hypothesis that Nea (LWb) is an allele at the LW locus which when homozygous producesd the phenotype once called LW3.