Bombay Blood Type: Can It Be Inherited?

About the Bombay blood group?

My parents have blood types A and B, my paternal grandfather is type A and my paternal grandmother is type O.
My maternal grandfather is type AB and my maternal grandmother is type O, who is suspected to have the Bombay blood type.
My mother has a brother with blood type AB, and a paternity test has confirmed he is indeed her biological brother.
My blood type is O.
Is it possible for me to inherit the Bombay blood type?

Reg, 20~29 year old female. Ask Date: 2010/01/05

Dr. Huang Shaoxin reply Family Medicine

Based on your description, you may also have the Bombay blood group, although the probability is very low.
Therefore, it is recommended that you undergo blood type testing and a saliva test (to measure A, B, and H antigens in saliva) to confirm whether you have the Bombay blood group.
The Bombay blood group is caused by a genetic mutation in the antigen that prevents the H antigen from being expressed or only weakly expressed on the surface of red blood cells, resulting in the A or B antigens being unable to be expressed or only weakly expressed, which causes a reaction similar to type O blood during blood typing.
The Bombay blood group, like regular blood types, is classified into four types: O, A, B, and AB, represented as O(Oh), A(OAh), B(OBh), and AB(OABh).
Since OAh, OBh, and OABh still carry A or B genes, they are often mistakenly identified as type O before the blood type is confirmed, while the inheritance patterns for offspring are actually the same as for the general population.

Reply Date: 2010/01/05

More Info

The Bombay blood type, also known as the Oh phenotype, is a rare blood type that was first discovered in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. Individuals with this blood type lack the H antigen, which is a precursor to the A and B antigens found in the more common blood types (A, B, AB, and O). As a result, people with the Bombay blood type can only receive blood from other Bombay blood type individuals, making it a significant concern in transfusion medicine.

To understand the inheritance of the Bombay blood type, it is essential to delve into the genetics behind blood types. Blood type is determined by the ABO gene, which has three main alleles: A, B, and O. The A and B alleles are co-dominant, meaning that if an individual inherits one A allele and one B allele, they will express the AB blood type. The O allele is recessive, which means that an individual must inherit two O alleles (one from each parent) to express the O blood type.

The Bombay phenotype is caused by a mutation in the H gene, which is responsible for producing the H antigen. Individuals who are homozygous for the recessive allele of the H gene will not produce the H antigen, leading to the Bombay blood type. This means that even if a person has A or B alleles, they will not express the corresponding A or B antigens if they also have the Bombay phenotype.

In your case, your parents have blood types A and B, and your grandparents have blood types A, O, AB, and O. The presence of a potential Bombay blood type in your family lineage could be traced through your maternal grandmother, who is suspected to have this rare blood type. If your mother carries the Bombay phenotype (which would mean she is a carrier of the recessive H gene), there is a possibility that she could pass this trait to her offspring.

Given that your blood type is O, it is genetically possible for you to inherit the Bombay phenotype if you received the recessive H gene from both parents. However, since your mother has a brother with an AB blood type, it suggests that she likely has at least one dominant H allele, which would make it less likely for her to carry the Bombay phenotype. If she were a carrier of the Bombay phenotype, she would have to have inherited the recessive H gene from both her parents, which is less likely given that her brother has an AB blood type.

In summary, while it is theoretically possible for you to inherit the Bombay blood type, the genetic evidence from your family suggests that it is unlikely. The presence of an AB blood type in your maternal uncle indicates that your mother likely does not carry the Bombay phenotype. If you are concerned about your blood type or potential inheritance of rare blood types, it may be beneficial to undergo genetic testing or consult with a genetic counselor for more personalized information.

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