Scientists in Scandinavia have found a way to convert blood groups A and B into the so-called universal group 0. With the shortage of blood supplies occurring worldwide, this groundbreaking discovery could potentially make life-saving transformations easier and more accessible, reports t-online.
There are 29 different blood groups known in medicine
There are 29 known blood groups today, most of which are very rare. The four most important are A, B, AB and 0, with A Rhesus positive and 0 Rhesus positive being the most common. For a blood transfusion, the blood must either belong to the same group as the recipient or to group 0 – which is considered universal blood.
The other blood types, if mixed, could lead to a dangerous reaction in the body and the formation of antibodies, which could ultimately cause the blood to clot and the transfusion to be fatal.
Researchers convert blood types in 30 minutes
According to “t-online”, the researchers focused on the intestinal bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila, which has regulating properties for the intestinal mucosa. In this bacterium they found enzymes that can convert certain antigens on the red blood cells in such a way that blood group 0 is created.
According to the researchers, this process takes no more than 30 minutes and is very safe.
Study “scientifically and technically interesting”
The research published on “Nature Microbiology” speaks of “the discovery of remarkably efficient enzymes that act not only against A and B antigens, but also against their appendages.” This method could increase the availability of donor blood and improve blood logistics for rare ones Blood groups are simplified, the scientists continue.
Markus M. Müller, hematologist at the Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, sees great potential in the new procedure and describes the results as “scientifically and health care-related interesting”. However, important animal studies are still needed to confirm the effectiveness and safety of this method. This discovery could be a medical sensation if the initial promising results are confirmed in further tests.