Deadly danger for unique patients: the genetic mystery of a new blood group is revealed

27.09.2026, 15:53◉ 02 min readEditorial team “SHCHO STALOSIA”

After 50 years of research, scientists have finally solved the genetic mystery of a rare marker on red blood cells and officially approved a new, 47th system of human blood groups called Mal. Scientists have identified the 47th group of human blood/ © TSN Researchers have finally found outthe exact genetic origin of a rare marker on the surface of red blood cells, known to science for m…

This fundamental discovery of a new blood group will significantly increase the safety of transfusion procedures for patients with unique genotypes.

EgészségKalauz writes about the revolutionary solution to a long-standing medical mystery.

This specific marker was first recognized by scientists back in 1972, but its genetic basis remained unknown. Experts quickly found that this antigen is extremely common and is present in the blood of more than 99 percent of the entire population of the planet.

However, there are unique people who completely lack this antigen on the surface of blood cells from birth. If such a patient is transfused with ordinary blood from an average donor, his immune system can trigger a serious and extremely dangerous rejection reaction.

"In such cases, the antibodies begin to brutally attack and destroy all injected donor red blood cells, which leads to severe complications," warn medical experts.

Context

"It got its name in honor of the same people who first found antibodies to this marker," the authors of the publication note.

Experts from Bristol conducted a large-scale study comparing the genomes of people with the congenital absence of this rare marker. After carefully examining thousands of genetic variants, they found a common abnormality in the Mal gene that had not previously attracted much attention from scientists.

What's next

This specific gene is responsible for producing an extremely small protein called Mal, which is directly incorporated into the cell membrane. Subsequent laboratory experiments conclusively proved that it is the presence of this protein that directly affects the appearance of the AnWj antigen on the surface of healthy red blood cells.

After a detailed confirmation of the genetic mechanism, the international community officially recognized Mal as a new independent blood group system. It received the serial number 47, and soon scientists plan to present another, 49th system under the working name Jama.