Rhesus blood groups in familial Hodgkin's disease

Abstract

The aetiology of Hodgkin's disease is unknown, some studies suggest an environmental and others a genetical basis as the underlying cause: both are most certainly involved. As an isolated population which included a large kindred containing seven cases of Hodgkin's disease and fourteen cases of "related conditions" was available, the opportunity was taken to study the Rhesus blood group antigens in patients, relatives and others. Previous studies of random Hodgkin's disease patients had demonstrated an association with Rh (D) negative status, but there was no information concerning Rh haplotypes. -- The objectives were to study as many members of the population as possible, and using pedigree data to assign actual Rh geneotypes where possible; to use this data to compare haplotype frequencies of this population with that of the United Kingdom; and to compare frequencies for the patients and relatives of three disease groups, (Hodgkin's disease, immunodeficiencies and "embryonic tumours"), with two control groups in this population in order to seek association of Rh haplotypes with disease. -- All disease groups differed significantly from controls, the Hodgkin's disease and immunodeficiency groups were marked by a complete absence of R₀ and r", replaced by r. The embryonic deficiency group had an excess of r" and a corresponding deficiency of R₂. -- The whole population deviated significantly from the expected (U.K.) frequencies for all haplotypes but r". R₁ and R₂ were reduced, r', ry and R₂ were absent, while R₀ and r were elevated. These differences have been ascribed to founder effects. -- In conclusion, the association of Rh (D) negative status with Hodgkin's disease was strongly supported by this study, as there was an excess of Rh negatives in the population, this excess being confined to the kindred. Both R₀ and r" in this family appeared to be protective against Hodgkin's disease and immunodeficiency, but r" seemed to be involved in susceptibility to "embryonic tumours".