< Blood Service News - 01.06.2011

FRCBS researchers discover connection between blood type and intestinal microbiota

Finnish Red Cross Blood Service (FRCBS) researchers have made an important scientific discovery concerning blood types and how they determine the composition of microbiota in the human intestine. This paves the way for understanding the causes of severe intestinal diseases and developing effective cures. The study results were published in acclaimed scientific journal PLOSOne.

The FRCBS study shows that the so-called secretor genotype determines the composition of intestinal bifidobacteria in particular. In comparison to secretor individuals, lower numbers and diversity of bifidobacteria were observed in non-secretor individuals.

Secretor status affects the expression of ABO blood type antigens important to the adhesion properties of micro-organisms in the intestinal mucosa. In non-secretor individuals, a mutation preventing the mucosal expression of ABO factors was detected in the gene-encoding FUT2 enzyme. Approximately 20 % of the European population are non-secretors.

The importance of this finding to the treatment of intestinal diseases is further emphasised by recent studies showing that changes in intestinal microbiota and non-secretor status are associated with certain inflammatory intestinal disorders, such as Crohn's disease. These findings will contribute to the discovery of solutions for the treatment and prevention of intestinal diseases. The FRCBS research group studies the connection between blood type antigens and intestinal microbiota. One of its aims is to discover how to treat intestinal symptoms in patients who have undergone stem cell transplantation.

Research on intestinal microbiota is an expanding field, in which an active search is under way for factors explaining the diverse composition of microbiota in individuals. The FRCBS study is the first to show that a certain genetic factor (FUT-2) is associated with the composition of bacteria inhabiting the human intestine.

Earlier studies have shown that certain micro-organisms are able to exploit ABO blood type antigens. These microbes use blood type antigens as attachment sites in the intestinal mucosal layer, thus improving their changes of survival. However, the focus of these earlier studies has primarily been on pathogenic micro-organisms. Until now, it has not been known whether similar interactions exist between micro-organisms, such as bifidobacteria, maintaining balance in healthy human intestine and the intestinal epithelium.

Since the beginning of the 1950s, the FRCBS has been engaged in pioneering scientific research. Key areas of R&D currently include stem cell research focusing on the cell surface structure and glycomics, in particular, and research on intestinal microbiota. The research objective is to further improve existing cell treatment methods and enable the advent of completely new forms of cell therapy.

Publication:
Pirjo Wacklin, Harri Mäkivuokko, Noora Alakulppi, Janne Nikkilä, Heli Tenkanen, Jarkko Räbinä, Jukka Partanen, Kari Aranko, and Jaana Mättö 2011. Secretor Genotype (FUT2 gene) Is Strongly Associated with the Composition of Bifidobacteria in the Human Intestine. PLoS One