D.B. Carvalho, L.C. de Mattos, W.C. Souza-Neiras, C.R. Bonini-Domingos, A.B. Cósimo, L.M. Storti-Melo, G.C. Cassiano, A.A.A. Couto, A.J. Cordeiro, A.R.B. Rossit and R.L.D. Machado
Published July 27, 2010
Genet. Mol. Res. 9 (3): 1443-1449 (2010)
DOI 10.4238/vol9-3gmr803

About the Authors
D.B. Carvalho, L.C. de Mattos, W.C. Souza-Neiras, C.R. Bonini-Domingos, A.B. Cósimo, L.M. Storti-Melo, G.C. Cassiano, A.A.A. Couto, A.J. Cordeiro, A.R.B. Rossit and R.L.D. Machado

Corresponding author: 
R.L.D. Machado
E-mail: ricardomachado@famerp.br

ABSTRACT

We investigated the ABO genotypes and heterogeneity of the O alleles in Plasmodium falciparum-infected and non-infected individuals from the Brazilian Amazon region. Sample collection took place from May 2003 to August 2005, from P. falciparum malaria patients from four endemic regions of the Brazilian Amazon. The control group consisted of donors from four blood banks in the same areas. DNA was extracted using the Easy-DNATM extraction kit. ABO genotyping was performed using PCR/RFLP. There was a high frequency of ABO*O01O01. ABO*AO01 was the second most frequent genotype, and the third most frequent genotype was ABO*BO01. There were low frequencies of the ABO*O01O02, ABO*AA, ABO*AB, ABO*BB, and ABO*O02O02 genotypes. We analyzed the alleles of the O phenotype; the O1variant allele was the most frequent, both in malaria and non-malaria groups; consequently, the homozygous genotype O¹vO¹v was the most frequently observed. There was no evidence of the homozygous O2 allele. Significant differences were not detected in the frequency of individuals with the various alleles in the comparison of the malaria patients and the general population (blood donors).

Key words: Malaria; Plasmodium falciparum; ABO blood system; Brazilian Amazon region; Genetic polymorphism