Scientists have found a way to change the blood type
Last reviewed: 16.05.2018
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
In one of the scientific publications appeared an article in which a group of scientists described the method of obtaining a new enzyme that can change the blood group. The new enzyme changes the properties of the blood, turning it into a universal first group, which is suitable for transfusion to patients with any other group.
Often there are situations when the hospital does not have supplies of the necessary blood group, and the consequences can be very sad. In the early twentieth century, it was found that people have different blood properties and have a different Rh factor, while the blood of one person may not suit another. If you use incompatible blood during a transfusion, then various severe consequences are possible (weakness, lowering blood pressure, palpitations, difficulty breathing, severe anxiety, vomiting, fever, kidney damage, death).
During the Second World War, as a result of the Nazi's horrifying experiments on living people, medicine gained a new turn in its development. In the early 40-ies for the first time an antibiotic penicillin was used. Because of severe injuries and heavy blood loss, people needed a blood transfusion, and it became necessary to transfuse it, then it was established that each person had his own blood group and accepted the theory of dividing it into groups (first, second, third and fourth) with Rhesus factor.
Each blood group has its own chain of carbon proteins that cover the red blood cells.
It was also found that the first blood group has special properties - it is suitable for transfusion to virtually all patients (I negative group is used for transfusion to all patients without exception, I positive for patients with positive Rhesus factor).
However, despite its universality, only group I blood is suitable for patients with group I blood. In recent years, scientists have determined that there are more than 30 types of blood (quite rare), resulting in more than 10 groupings, but Group I is still used as universal.
A new study of scientists from British Columbia showed that one can not adhere to any restrictions during transfusion.
The special feature of the I blood group is that it does not have antigens. The idea of removing antigens from the blood and turning it into a universal one in this way was expressed back in the 80s, however, finding the means to accomplish this was practically problematic. David Kwan, the lead author of the scientific project, noted that the use of enzymes known to science was meaningless, judging from the point of view of clinical use. But he and his colleagues managed to develop a method that allows increasing the efficiency of enzymes tens of times.
Experts crossed in the laboratory enzymes, which mutated for several generations. As a result of the experiments, enzymes were obtained almost 200 times more efficient than the original ones, which made it possible to approximate the theory of the transformation of one blood group into another into reality.
[