FROM SERODIAGNOSTIC D E P A R T M E N T , S T A T E I N S T I T U T E OF PUBLIC H E A L T H , OSLO. (CHIEF: OTTO H A R T M A N N , $1. D.j

ti^^^ with Anti-

Rh (CcDE) GENOTYPES OF 1,000 NORWEGIANS

Observed Expected Commonest ! Alternative nunibi-r numlirr genotype ’ genotypes in each ’ in each in each in each reaction 1 reaction reaction react ion

By Ot to Hartmann, , Ole Johan Brendcmoen a n d Cami l la Brendetnoen.

(Received for publ icat ion Sep tember 30th, 1951.)

In 1947, the bloods of 226 Oslo Red Cross Transfusion Donors were tested by the six anti-Ah sera, anti-D, anti-C, anti-c, anti-Cw. anti-E, and anti-e3. The chromosome frequencies did not differ very much from those found in England. There were, however, some dis- crepancies within the series: The expected and the observed numbers in some of the genotype groups differed considerably, and the cal- culated R, chromosome frequency was also higher than in the cor- responding English series. Although these deviations most probably were due to chance in sampling, further investigations seemed to be desirable.

We have therefore tested a further 1,000 hlood samples from Oslo Blood Donors, unselected for their Rh groups, by the four anti-sera anti-C+Cw, anti-c, anti-D, and anti-E. The four sera employed have been detected and tested in this laboratory. Each of them gave strong and clear-cut specific reactions, and we think they are reliable for genotyping purposes. The results are shewn in Table 1.

E group 1 group

Table d . Frequenc ie s of CcDE Genotypes of 1:OOO Korwegians.

group , group

+ - + - + + + - + + + + - + + + - + + - + + - - - - + - + - + - -

190 366 126 129 16 10 7

156

194.4 358.8 124.1 130.7 16.3 10.0 7.1

158.6

R,R’ R,R, R’R, R’H, R,R” R,R, R,R” R2R, R,R”

ROR, none

none R’tR”

_ _ _ _ _ ~ _ ~

1000 1000.0

I t appears from Table 1 that the agreement between the observed and the expected numbers in each reaction group is remarkably good.

For the estimation of the expected numbers in Table 1, we have used the Rh chromosome frequencies calculated for this series by Mourant-‘ by the approximative method developed by him. Though not as accurate as the rather complicated maximum likelihood method, the method of Mourant is definitely more accurate than the other ap- proximative methods previously employed. In particular, i t gives a better frequency for

The Norwegian Rh chromosome frequencies are shewn in Table 2, compared with the Rh chromosome frequencies in England. The English frequencies are those published by Race, Mouranf, Lawler, and Sangel.6 as calculated by Professor Fisher using his maximum likelihood method’. *.

Chrornosomr h’ORM’l<GIAN I ENGLISH5

Per Cent 1 Per Cent 1,000 Blood Samples 2,000 Blood Samples

I

It is apparent from Table 2 that the CcDE chromosome frequencies in England and in Norway are very like each other. The differences found are statistically insignificant.

Summary. Rh (CcDE) genotype and chromosome frequencies in a series of

1,000 Norwegians have been examined. The frequencies show only minor and statistically insignificant differences from those previously found in Englishmen.

453

REFERENCES 1. Fisher, R. A.: The fitting of gene frequencies to data on rliesus reactions.

Ann. Eugenics 13: 150-155, 1946. 2. - Note on the calculation of the frequencies of rhesus allelomorphs.

Ann. Eugenics 13: 223-224, 1947. 3. Haitmann, Otto, A. E. Mourant and R. R. Race: The R h genotypes of

a series of Oslo blood donors. Acta path. et rnicrobiol. scand. 24: 330-333, 1947.

4. Mourant, A. E.: Personal communication. 5. Race, R. R., A. E. Mourant, SlJlvia D. Lawler and Ruth Sanger: The Rh

chromosome frequencies in England. Blood, The Journal of Hema- tology 3: 684-695, 1948.