Antigenic Expression of Duffy Blood Group amongst the People of Zaakpon in Ogoni, Rivers State, Nigeria

distribution of Duffy blood group antigens in the The aim of the study was to determine the pattern studied population. There is absence of Duffy of antigenic expression of Duffy blood group (Fya and Fyb) blood group antigens amongst the amongst the people of Zaakpon in Ogoni, Rivers studied population that are natives of Zaakpon in State, Nigeria. This study was a cross-sectional Ogoni. The Fy (a-b-) phenotype amongst the study among Zaakpon indigenes whose origin of people of Zaakpon in Ogoni, is therefore of their first-generation parents are Ogonis. The clinical advantage in the protection and study aimed at evaluating the prevalence of resistance against malaria infection caused by Duffy blood group antigen among the Ogonis, Plasmodium vivax. specifically Zaakpon indigenes. A total number of one hundred and twenty (120) apparently

Introduction A blood group system is defined as a group of carried out in December 2021. Ogoni land is in antigens encoded by alleles at a single gene locus an area along the Niger Delta Eastern edge, to the or at gene loci so closely linked that cross over is northeast of the Imo River and Port Harcourt very rare (Daniels and Reid, 2010). The City. Ogoni land covers about 1036 Sq Km and International Society of Blood Transfusion borders the Bay of Guinea. All participants were recently recognize thirty-three blood group recruited in Zaakpon, Khana Local Government systems. Apart from ABO and Rh system, other Area, Rivers State. Zaakpon is a village in Bori.
blood group antigens have also been found on the Bori is the traditional headquarter of Ogoni. Bori 0 red cell membrane of which Duffy blood group is located on latitude 4 40'34.64'N and longitude 0 antigen is one of them (Mitra et al., 2014) farmers. Fy(a+b+), Fy(a-b+), Fy(a+b-), and Fy(a-b-) (Pogo and Chaudhuri, 2000).
There is a dearth in published research information on percentage distribution and The FY-DARC (Duffy blood group, chemokine frequency occurrence of Duffy blood group receptor) gene located in chromosome 1 has both antigens amongst the Ogonis. It is therefore FY and RH gene loci. The FY locus is located on necessary to carry out serological identification the long arm at position 1q22-q23 where it of Fya and Fyb antigens to identify how consists of two exons distributed over 1.5 kb of dominant these antigens are. genomic DNA (gDNA), exon 1 encoding only Materials and Method the first seven amino acids of the Duffy Study Design glycoprotein (Castilho, 2013).
This study was a cross-sectional study among Zaakpon indigenes whose origin of their first-The Duffy glycoprotein is encoded by the FY generation parents are Ogonis. The study aimed gene, of which there are two main alleles, FYA at evaluating the prevalence of Duffy blood and FYB. They are codominant, meaning FYA is group antigen among the Ogonis, specifically inherited from one parent and FYB allele is Zaakpon indigenes. The study was carried out in inherited from the other parent. Both gene a b December 2021. product, Duffy Fy and Fy antigens, will then be expressed on the RBCs (Castilho, 2013).

Study Area a b
Ogoni land is in an area along the Niger Delta The Fy and Fy antigens are found relatively a b Eastern edge, to the northeast of the Imo River frequently in Caucasians (Fy 66% and Fy 83%)  (120) apparently Ogoni tribe is approximately five hundred healthy human subjects consisting of twentythousand in population which represents 0.5% of five males and ninety-five females were about one hundred and thirty million Nigerians.
recruited for the study. The study subjects were The Ogoni region has a population density that is adult varying between 12 -75 years of age. equal 1,233 people/square miles, and therefore, one of the densely populated regions (Oyinlade and Vincent, 2020).

S a m p l e C o l l e c t i o n , S t o r a g e a n d Determination of Duffy-b Blood Group Using b Transportation
Anti-Fy Polyclonal, Lorne Laboratories Ltd, After pre-test counselling, venous blood sample UK. Lot Number: 31793-A3, Expiry Date: was collected with the use of conventional 2023-07-07 needle and syringe for each subject, of which 3. 0 Method: Indirect Antiglobulin Techniques ml of collected blood from each subject was Indirect Antiglobulin Technique was used to added into individualized tube containing 0.5mL phenotype red cells as describe by Lorne of 1.2mg/mL ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid laboratory. Three percent (3%) of red cell (EDTA) as described by Cheesebrough (2010). It suspension was prepared using isotonic saline. b was properly mixed to obtain homogeneity One volume Lorne Anti-Fy reagent was added to between the blood and anticoagulant. Data collected was statistically analysed by Method: Indirect Antiglobulin Techniques simple percentage calculation. Data were Indirect Antiglobulin Technique was used to represented in Tables. phenotype red cells as describe by Lorne laboratory. Three percent (3%) of red cell Results suspension was prepared using isotonic saline.
Demographic Details of Studied Population a One volume of Lorne Anti-Fy reagent was added A total number of 120 subject (twenty-five (25) to one volume of the prepared 3% red cell males and ninety-five (95) females, within the suspension, thoroughly mixed and incubated for age of 12 and 75years were recruited for the O study. Details are shown in Table 1. 15 minutes at room temperature (37 C), two volume of Anti-human globulin was added Frequency Occurrence and Percentage before it was centrifuge at 20 seconds at Distribution of the Studied Blood Group 1000rpm. The red cell button was gently re-Frequency occurrence and percentage suspended before it was read macroscopically distribution of Duffy blood group antigens were for agglutination.
analysed and reported. Details are shown in Table 2. Presence of agglutination was indicative of a positive result while on the contrary, absence of Frequency and Percentage Distribution of agglutination was indicative of a negative result.

Studied blood Group System based on Gender
The frequency distribution and percentage distribution of Duffy blood group system based on gender were analysed and recorded. Details shown in table 3.
Discussion implication means that Duffy blood group and its The Ogonis are not related to any other tribe in associated antigens were not found amongst the Nigeria and not one of the major tribes in study population and therefore it is rare. Nigeria. Duffy blood group system is yet to be studied extensively in Rivers State, Nigeria The frequency occurrence of Duffy blood group and specifically amongst the Ogonis.
amongst the Ogonis and the percentage distribution of Duffy blood group antigen was The Duffy (Fy-a and Fy-b) blood group is one of zero. This finding is consistent with that of the clinically significant blood group systems. Jamoh et al. (2018) who reported absence of Antibodies of this blood group system could Duffy blood group antigens in their study cause HTR (Haemolytic Transfusion Reaction) population in Kano, Nigeria. Uwen (2011) as well as cross the placenta barrier into the foetal reported in his studies carried out in Lagos that circulation and cause HDFN (Haemolytic Fya and Fyb were unlikely to cause transfusion disease of the foetus and New-born). Some reactions (HTR and HDN) as sampled subjects literatures have also associated Duffy blood tested negative to the antigens, and Kuikarni et group to cytokines against malaria parasitaemia.
al., (1985) in their study of antigens among the From the study, it was observed that the presence Hausa population of the Northern Nigeria of Duffy blood group antigen in subjects reported that great majority of the subjects were recruited for the study were rare which by 98.8% negative (Kulkarni et al., 1985;Uwen, 2011), the findings from these researchers Competing Interest closely agrees with the findings of this study. In No competing interest exist as declared by the comparison, Erhabor et al. (2014) in their study authors. of red cell phenotypes among pregnant women of Sokoto, Northwestern Nigeria (which was an