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. 2021 Aug;116(7):766-773.
doi: 10.1111/vox.13070. Epub 2021 Jan 25.

ABO blood group and SARS-CoV-2 antibody response in a convalescent donor population

Evan M Bloch  1 , Eshan U Patel  1   2 , Christi Marshall  1 , Kirsten Littlefield  3 , Ruchika Goel  1   4 , Brenda J Grossman  5 , Jeffrey L Winters  6 , Ruchee Shrestha  1 , Imani Burgess  1 , Oliver Laeyendecker  7   8 , Shmuel Shoham  8 , David Sullivan  3 , Eric A Gehrie  1 , Andrew D Redd  7   8 , Thomas C Quinn  7   8 , Arturo Casadevall  3 , Andrew Pekosz  3 , Aaron A R Tobian  1
Affiliations

ABO blood group and SARS-CoV-2 antibody response in a convalescent donor population

Evan M Bloch et al. Vox Sang. 2021 Aug.

Abstract

Background and objectives: ABO blood group may affect risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and/or severity of COVID-19. We sought to determine whether IgG, IgA and neutralizing antibody (nAb) to SARS-CoV-2 vary by ABO blood group.

Materials and methods: Among eligible convalescent plasma donors, ABO blood group was determined via agglutination of reagent A1 and B cells, IgA and IgG were quantified using the Euroimmun anti-SARS-CoV-2 ELISA, and nAb titres were quantified using a microneutralization assay. Differences in titre distribution were examined by ABO blood group using non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis tests. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) of high nAb titre (≥1:160) were estimated by blood group using multivariable modified Poisson regression models that adjusted for age, sex, hospitalization status and time since SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis.

Results: Of the 202 potential donors, 65 (32%) were blood group A, 39 (19%) were group B, 13 (6%) were group AB, and 85 (42%) were group O. Distribution of nAb titres significantly differed by ABO blood group, whereas there were no significant differences in anti-spike IgA or anti-spike IgG titres by ABO blood group. There were significantly more individuals with high nAb titre (≥1:160) among those with blood group B, compared with group O (aPR = 1·9 [95%CI = 1·1-3·3], P = 0·029). Fewer individuals had a high nAb titre among those with blood group A, compared with group B (aPR = 0·6 [95%CI = 0·4-1·0], P = 0·053).

Conclusion: Eligible CCP donors with blood group B may have relatively higher neutralizing antibody titres. Additional studies evaluating ABO blood groups and antibody titres that incorporate COVID-19 severity are needed.

Keywords: ABO group; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; convalescent plasma; titre.

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Conflict of interest statement

EMB reports personal fees and non‐financial support from Terumo BCT, Grifols Diagnostics Solutions and Abbott Laboratories outside of the submitted work; EMB is a member of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Blood Products Advisory Committee. Any views or opinions that are expressed in this manuscript are those of the authors, based on his own scientific expertise and professional judgement; they do not necessarily represent the views of either the Blood Products Advisory Committee or the formal position of FDA, and also do not bind or otherwise obligate or commit either advisory committee or the agency to the views expressed.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Distribution of IgA, IgG and neutralizing antibody titres to SARS‐CoV‐2 by ABO blood group in eligible convalescent plasma donors. Box‐and‐whisker plots were used to depict the median (thick horizontal line), interquartile ranges and upper/lower extreme limits. The red diamond depicts the arithmetic mean. Circles depict the individual data points. P values were determined from non‐parametric Kruskal–Wallis tests.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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