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R L Comenzo

Publications and source records attributed to R L Comenzo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

The tropism of organ involvement in primary systemic amyloidosis: contributions of Ig V(L) germ line gene use and clonal plasma cell burden.

Primary systemic amyloidosis (AL) is a protein conformation disorder in which monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains produced by clonal plasma cells are deposited as amyloid in the kidneys, heart, liver, or other organs. Why patients with AL present with amyloid disease that displays such organ tropism is unknown. This study tested the hypothesis that both the light-chain variable region (Ig V(L)) germ line genes used by AL clones and the plasma cell burden influenced AL organ tropism. To assess the renal tropism of some light chains, an in vitro renal mesangial cell model of amyloid formation was used. With reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Ig V(L) genes were sequenced from 60 AL patients whose dominant involved organs were renal (52%), cardiac (25%), hepatic (8%), peripheral nervous system (8%), and soft tissue and other (7%). Patients with clones derived from the 6a V(lambdaVI) germ line gene were more likely to present with dominant renal involvement, whereas those with clones derived from the 1c, 2a2, and 3r V(lambda) genes were more likely to present with dominant cardiac and multisystem disease. Patients with V(kappa) clones were more likely to have dominant hepatic involvement and patients who met the Durie criteria for myeloma (38%, 23 of 60) were more likely to present with dominant cardiac involvement independent of germ line gene use. In the in vitro model, unlike all other AL light chains tested, lambdaVI light chains formed amyloid rapidly both with and without amyloid-enhancing factor. These data support the hypothesis that germ line gene use and plasma cell burden influence the organ tropism of AL. (Blood. 2001;98:714-720)

Adult↗

Immunologic recovery after autologous blood stem cell transplantation in patients with AL-amyloidosis.

We prospectively studied absolute lymphocyte (ALC) and monocyte counts (AMC), lymphocyte subsets and proliferative in vitro responses to mitogen and antigen in 12 patients with AL-amyloidosis (AL) undergoing autologous blood stem cell transplantation (SCT) with high-dose i.v. melphalan. Myeloid and lymphoid recovery (>500 per microl) occurred in a median of 10 days post SCT. While there was a continuous decline in the number of CD4+ T cells at 3 months, ALC, AMC, B cells (CD19+), CD8+ T cells, and NK cells (CD16+/56+) returned to baseline. While T cell proliferative responses to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) remained depressed, B cell function measured by the proliferative response to staphylococcal antigen returned to baseline by 3 months. To supplement our findings, we retrospectively evaluated ALC, AMC and serum immunoglobulin levels in a separate group of patients treated with the same protocol at our institution. ALC and AMC recovery was similar to the pattern observed in the initial study group. Immunoglobulin levels remained within normal ranges at 3 and 12 months after SCT. Of 50 patients who were followed for a minimum of 1 year following SCT, seven (14%) developed shingles and one (2%) had PCP pneumonia. In conclusion, cellular immune function, reflected by absolute numbers of CD4+ T cells and PHA responsive T cell proliferation, is significantly suppressed at 3 months after SCT in patients with AL, and this post-transplant immunosuppression is associated with a low but clinically meaningful occurrence of opportunistic infections typical of T cell immunosuppression.

Adult↗

Primary systemic amyloidosis.

Patients with unexplained heart failure, hepatomegaly, nephrotic syndrome, or peripheral neuropathy should be evaluated for primary systemic (amyloid light-chain, or AL) amyloidosis by first seeking evidence of a clonal plasma cell disorder with serum and urine immunofixation studies, as well as a bone marrow biopsy. Immunostaining of the marrow biopsy for lambda and kappa isotypes will usually demonstrate a dominant clonal population of plasma cells if immunofixation studies are negative (less than 10% of cases). Tissue diagnosis of amyloidosis should be sought by biopsy of the abdominal fat or an involved organ. In addition, patients with stable myeloma or monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance who develop such conditions or become progressively ill should be evaluated for amyloidosis. We recommend that newly diagnosed patients with AL amyloidosis, who meet criteria for autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation, be considered for high-dose melphalan with stem cell support. Criteria usually include adequate cardiac, pulmonary, and hepatic function. AL amyloidosis patients treated with autologous transplantation frequently achieve durable complete remissions of the plasma cell disease and marked improvement in amyloid-related organ dysfunction. AL amyloidosis patients with dominant cardiac amyloid, who are without symptomatic pleural effusions and have no history of cardiac syncope or symptomatic arrhythmias, may be considered for autologous transplantation but are at increased risk of peritransplant mortality. Autologous transplantation should not routinely be offered to patients with dominant cardiac amyloid with recurrent effusions or histories of syncope or arrhythmias or to patients older than 50 years of age with more than two major organ systems involved (eg, heart, kidneys, liver, and peripheral nerves). We recommend that AL patients with isolated advanced cardiac or hepatic amyloidosis be considered for solid organ replacement followed by autologous transplantation. Otherwise, AL patients who are elderly or ineligible for autologous transplantation may be treated with oral melphalan (Alkeran, GlaxoWellcome, Middlesex, UK) and prednisone; however, because the response rate is only about 25% and the prognosis poor, such patients might also be enrolled on clinical trials of emerging therapies.

Amyloidosis↗

Hematopoietic cell transplantation for primary systemic amyloidosis: what have we learned.

Dose-intensive therapy with hematopoietic cell transplantation is effective at reversing AL amyloidosis but is not without risk. Guidelines have been developed for patient selection in order to maximize benefit and minimize treatment-related mortality. Identification of a patient's clonal germline light chain variable region gene may become relevant to patient selection, and development of less morbid approaches to stem cell mobilization and collection would be helpful. While there is room for discussion regarding the design of future therapeutic trials, it is reasonable to attempt to improve the complete response rate for good risk patients by continuing efforts on the phase II level. Attempts to improve outcomes for patients with symptomatic cardiac or advanced multisystem disease may require serial solid organ and stem cell transplantation as well as the development of less toxic approaches using lower doses of melphalan, improved supportive care measures and specific organ-system prophylaxis. If outcomes can be improved, issues related to clonotypic contamination of stem cells will need to be revisited.

Amyloidosis↗

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus gene sequences are detectable at low copy number in primary amyloidosis.

Primary amyloidosis (AL), like multiple myeloma (MM), results from a clonal proliferation of plasma cells. Recent detection of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) gene sequences in MM patients, although controversial, suggested that KSHV may also be present in AL. In the present study, we assayed for KSHV gene sequences in patients with primary AL independently in 2 laboratories. Nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on DNA isolated from 21 bone marrow (BM) core biopsy samples to amplify orf26 and orf72, 2 regions of the KSHV genome. Eighteen of 21 (86%) BM core biopsy samples were KSHV PCR positive. BM aspirates from 16 of these 21 AL patients were cultured for 4-6 weeks to generate long term bone marrow stromal cells (LT-BMSCs), and 13 of 16 (81%) LT-BMSCs were also KSHV PCR positive. Results in all but 1 sample were consistent in the 2 laboratories. Sequencing of the PCR products in the 2 laboratories confirmed 94-98% and 95-98% homology to the published orf 26 and orf 72 KSHV gene sequences respectively, with interpatient base pair differences. Despite the presence of KSHV gene sequences, only 4/18 (22%) KSHV PCR positive patients demonstrated KSHV lytic antibodies by immunoblot assay. A sensitive assay performed on the BCBL-1 cell line confirmed the presence of KSHV at a very low copy number in AL. PCR using patient specific light chain gene primers also amplified DNA isolated from 2 AL BM core biopsies and 3 AL LT-BMSCs which were KSHV PCR positive, suggesting the presence of clonotypic cells. Our results therefore demonstrate KSHV gene sequences albeit at a very low copy number in the majority of BM core biopsies and LT-BMSCs from AL patients, and serological responses in only a minority of cases. Ongoing studies to identify viral transcripts and gene products will determine the biological relevance of KSHV in AL disease pathogenesis.

Adult↗

Identification of a novel substitution in the constant region of a gene coding for an amyloidogenic kappa1 light chain.

Current concepts regarding the association between immunoglobulin (Ig) light chain structure and AL amyloidosis (AL) emphasize Ig variable region amino acid substitutions because the majority of light chain amyloid fibrils that have been sequenced contain amino termini of the variable region with only small amounts of the constant region. In this report, we describe a patient with rapidly progressive AL whose amyloid deposits contained primarily monoclonal kappa light chain constant region fragments. We sequenced and analyzed this AL protein, determining that it was an O18-O8 kappa1 variant and that the constant region possessed an unusual Ser-->Asn substitution at position 177. Using pre-mortem bone marrow cells, we cloned and sequenced the cDNA for this AL protein (HCAK1) and, using DNA from post-mortem somatic tissue, we cloned and sequenced the patient's kappa germline O18-O8 donor and kappa constant region (Ckappa) gene segments. The cDNA that coded for HCAK1 contained a variable region that was derived from O18-O8, showing 96.1% homology to germline, and a Ckappa that had a nucleotide substitution (AGC to AAC), resulting in the 177Ser-->Asn replacement. Two Ckappa genes were cloned from somatic tissue DNA, one identical to a known Ckappa sequence and another containing this substitution which likely is a new Ckappa allotype. Our findings indicate that further investigation is warranted into the contributions genetic polymorphisms and light chain constant regions may make to amyloidogenesis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Intermediate-dose intravenous melphalan and blood stem cells mobilized with sequential GM+G-CSF or G-CSF alone to treat AL (amyloid light chain) amyloidosis.

AL amyloidosis patients ineligible for dose-intensive melphalan (200 mg/m2) were enrolled on a phase 11 trial to be treated with two cycles of intermediate-dose melphalan (IDM 100 mg/m2) and mobilized blood stem cells (BSC). For mobilization patients were randomized to either GM-CSF 250 microg/m2 for 3 d followed by G-CSF 10 microg/ kg for 3 d (GM+G), or G-CSF 10 microg/kg for 6 d (G-alone), with leukaphereses on days 5, 6 and 7. To minimize morbidity, we planned to support each cycle with 3 5 x 106 CD34+ cells/kg and had a collection target of 7 x 10(6) CD34+ cells/kg. Those who did not achieve the target were treated with one cycle of IDM. 30 patients, a median of 62 years old and 7 months from diagnosis, were enrolled. Both mobilization regimens were generally well tolerated, and similar in terms of CD34+ cells and CFU-GM collected, but only 6/28 patients achieved the collection target (GM+G four, G-alone two). Despite a 19% incidence of grade 4 toxicities, IDM therapy was well tolerated. At a median follow-up of 24 months (19-36) 57% of patients had survived, 17% with durable complete haematological responses and 40% with improved or stable amyloid organ involvement, including 3/9 patients with predominant cardiac amyloid who are alive 2-3 years after treatment. The 100 d mortality was 20%. In conclusion, no definitive differences were identified between the mobilization regimens and IDM was an active regimen in AL for selected patients.

Adult↗

Clonal immunoglobulin light chain variable region germline gene use in AL amyloidosis: association with dominant amyloid-related organ involvement and survival after stem cell transplantation.

AL (primary or immunoglobulin light chain) amyloidosis (AL) differs from myeloma per se in that tissue deposits of amyloid are found, typically in association with small numbers of clonal plasma cells producing lambda light chains, and also in that AL patients typically present with a predominantly dysfunctional organ-system. This constellation of features - fibrillar deposits comprised of light chains, lambda light chain predominance, and organ-system tropism and dysfunction - remains unexplained. Select patients with AL respond to haemopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) with clinical improvement and extended survival, particularly those who do not have cardiac involvement. In order to ascertain whether the organ-system tropism of AL was associated with immunoglublin light chain variable region (Ig VL) germline gene utilization, we attempted to clone, sequence and assign germline donors to the clonal Ig VL genes of 62 AL patients, all of whom were treated with SCT. We succeeded in 39 cases, identifying clonal AL genes derived from donors of the lambdaI (n = 10), lambdaII (n = 5), lambdaIII (n = 6), lambdaVI (n = 11) and KI (n = 7) subtypes. The majority of the donors (IGLV6S1, DPL5, DPL2, DPL23 and LFVK431) were genes that appear in the expressed repertoire <5% of the time, suggesting an intrinsic propensity to form amyloid under certain conditions. Patients whose clones derived from the lambdaVI IGLV6S1 donor uniformly presented with dominant renal involvement while those with other Vlambda or unknown donors often had dominant cardiac or other organ involvement, particularly patients whose clones derived from the lambdaI DPL2 donor. In addition, both early (<3 months) and overall post-SCT survival were significantly better in lambdaVI IGLV6S1 patients compared to patients with other Vlambda donors. These findings indicate that there are important associations in AL amyloidosis among Ig VL gene utilization, organ-system tropism and post-SCT survival.

Adult↗

Dose-intensive melphalan with blood stem-cell support for the treatment of AL (amyloid light-chain) amyloidosis: survival and responses in 25 patients.

AL (amyloid light-chain) amyloidosis is an uncommon plasma cell disorder in which depositions of amyloid light-chain protein cause progressive organ failure and death in a median of 13 months. Autologous stem-cell transplantation is effective therapy for multiple myeloma and therefore, we evaluated its efficacy for AL amyloidosis. Patients with adequate cardiac, pulmonary, and renal function had stem cells mobilized with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor and were treated with dose-intensive intravenous melphalan (200 mg/m2). Response to therapy was determined by survival and improvement of performance status, complete response or persistence of the clonal plasma cell disorder, and change in the function of organs involved with amyloid at baseline. We enrolled 25 patients with a median age of 48 years (range, 29-60), all of whom had biopsy-proven amyloidosis with clonal plasma cell disorders. Twenty-two (88%) were Southwest Oncology Group performance status 1 or 2 within a year of diagnosis, and 16 (64%) had received no prior therapy. Predominant amyloid-related organ involvement was cardiac (n = 8), renal (n = 7), hepatic (n = 6), neuropathic (n = 3), and lymphatic (n = 1). Fifteen patients had one or two organ systems involved, whereas 10 had three or more involved. With a median follow-up of 24 months (12-38), 17 of 25 patients (68%) are alive, and the median survival has not been reached. Thirteen of 21 patients (62%) evaluated 3 months posttransplant had complete responses of their clonal plasma cell disorders. Currently, two thirds of the surviving patients (11 of 17) have experienced improvements of amyloid-related organ involvement in all systems, whereas 4 of 17 have stable disease. The improvement in the median performance status of the 17 survivors at follow-up (0 [range, 0-3]) is statistically significant versus baseline (2 [range, 1-3]; P < . 01). Significant negative prognostic factors with respect to overall survival include amyloid involvement of more than two major organ systems and predominant cardiac involvement. Three patients have experienced relapses of the clonal plasma cell disorder at 12 and 24 months. Dose-intensive therapy should currently be considered as the preferred therapy for patients with AL amyloidosis who meet functional criteria for autologous transplantation.

Adult↗

Mobilized CD34+ cells selected as autografts in patients with primary light-chain amyloidosis: rationale and application.

BACKGROUND: Concern about tumor cell contamination in stem cell preparations has led to the use of CD34+ cell selection as a means of purging. Increasing the number of CD34+ cells per leukapheresis may help to provide an adequate dose of CD34+ cells. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was employed to clone overexpressed clonotypic immunoglobulin light-chain variable region genes (Ig VL) from bone marrows of patients with primary light-chain amyloidosis (AL). Patient-specific primers were designed to evaluate stem cell collections for contamination. CD34+ cell selection was performed on components from AL patients who underwent mobilization with granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) (filgrastim; 16 microg/kg/d for 4 days) and collection by large-volume leukapheresis (LVL;25L) on Days 4 and 5. The selected cells alone were transfused after patients received mephalan (200 mg/m2). RESULTS: Contamination was found in collections from 4 to 7 patients, which provided the rationale for a subsequent trial of CD34+ cell selection. The median number of CD34+ cells per kg collected on Days 4 and 5, and in toto, was 4.0 x 10(6)(1.1-12.7), 7.9 x 10(6)(1.8-12.7), and 10.7 x 10(6)(2.9-25.4), respectively (n = 9 patients). The median yield per selection was 38 percent, with a purity of 85 percent (45-97%), and the viability of CD34+ cells averaged 96.4 +/- 3.6 percent (n = 18 selections). The median number of CD34+ cells infused was 5.9 x 10(6) per kg (2.1-10.1). In comparison with AL patients given unselected autografts, patients receiving selected CD34+ cells experienced similar reconstitution of neutrophils and platelets but slower lymphocyte recovery. CONCLUSION: Patients with AL often have contamination with clonotypic cells in their blood autografts. G-CSF mobilization and LVL provide components that allow the selection of adequate doses of CD34+ cells. The use of CD34+ cells in patients with AL achieves rapid neutrophil and platelet recovery but delayed lymphocyte recovery. CD34+ cell selection is feasible in the treatment of AL, but its effectiveness in purging clonotypic cells remains to be ascertained.

Adult↗

Dose-intensive melphalan with blood stem cell support for the treatment of AL amyloidosis: one-year follow-up in five patients.

The morbidity and lethality of AL amyloidosis is caused by the deposition of lg light chains as fibrillar amyloid protein in vital organs, disrupting their function, and not by the generally low burden of clonal plasma cells that produce the paraproteins. Survival of patients with AL amyloidosis is no more than 1 to 2 years from the time of diagnosis with current management approaches. Clearly, more effective therapies are needed for this rapidly lethal disease. Five patients were treated with dose-intensive melphalan and blood stem cell support and followed for a period of 1 year. Patients were diagnosed with AL amyloidosis by tissue biopsy and categorized by performance status and organ involvement. Their plasma cell dyscrasias were evaluated with immunofixation electrophoresis of serum and urine specimens, quantitative serum lgs, and immunohistochemical staining of bone marrow biopsy specimens. After treatment with dose-intensive intravenous melphalan followed by infusion of autologous growth-factor-mobilized blood stem cells, clinical evaluations and plasma cell studies were repeated at 3 and 12 months. Three men and 2 women aged 38 to 53 years were treated. Median performance status (SWOG) was 2 (1 to 3), and clinical presentations included nephrotic syndrome (n = 1), symptomatic cardiomyopathy (n = 1), gastrointestinal involvement with polyneuropathy (n = 2), and hepatomegaly (n = 1). With a median follow-up of 13 months (12 to 17 months), all five patients are well and have shown stable or improved performance status and clinical remission of organ-related dysfunction, including a 50% reduction in daily proteinuria with no change in creatinine, reversal of symptoms of cardiomyopathy and reductions of posterior wall and septal thickening, reversal of polyneuropathy and gastric atony, and resolution of hepatomegaly by computed tomographic scan. In 3 of the 5 patients (60%) at 12 months after treatment, plasma cell dyscrasias could not be detected. Dose-intensive chemotherapy with intravenous melphalan and growth-factor-mobilized blood stem cell support is feasible therapy for patients with AL amyloidosis, even when there is clinical evidence of cardiac involvement. At least some patients with AL amyloidosis achieve complete remission of their plasma cell dyscrasia, improvement in performance status, and clinical remission of organ-specific disease after this form of treatment.

Adult↗

Advances in the treatment of plasma cell diseases.

Dose-intensive chemotherapy and marrow transplantation in myeloma achieve complete remission in many cases and may significantly prolong patient survival. Use of myeloid growth factors or mobilized blood stem cell preparations decreases morbidity and mortality from treatment. These approaches also show promise in AL amyloidosis.

Adult↗

Large-volume leukapheresis for collection of mononuclear cells for hematopoietic rescue in Hodgkin's disease.

BACKGROUND: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNCs) collected by leukapheresis contain hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells that provide autologous hematopoietic rescue after high-dose chemotherapy, an approach that offers a significant benefit to patients with recurrent Hodgkin's disease. However, patients with low MNC counts may require 10 or more standard leukapheresis procedures for the collection of sufficient cells for hematopoietic rescue. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The effectiveness of steady-state large-volume leukapheresis (LVL; 15-35 L blood processed) was evaluated as a method for collecting MNCs for hematopoietic rescue in seven patients with recurrent Hodgkin's disease. LVL was performed on 2 consecutive days per week to collect 7 x 10(8) MNCs per kg. The circulating MNC counts on the first day of LVL and the total numbers of LVL, of MNCs collected, and of liters of blood processed were determined per patient. After high-dose chemotherapy and MNC transfusion, days to granulocyte and platelet engraftment were recorded. RESULTS: On the first day of LVL, patients had median circulating MNCs of 1536 (range, 504-3950) x 10(6) per L. The median number of LVL procedures per patient was four (range, 1.25-6), and the median L per kg of blood processed was 1.57 (range, 0.38-4.03). Simple regression analysis plotting L per kg against initial MNCs gave a curve with the equation y = e(1.42-(6.31 x 10E-4)x) (correlation coefficient = -0.97, R2 = 0.95, exponential fit). Without posttransfusion growth-factor support, median days to granulocyte engraftment were 19 (range, 12-26) and those to platelet transfusion independence were 34.5 (range, 10-57). CONCLUSION: LVL provides a useful method of collecting MNCs for hematopoietic rescue in patients with Hodgkin's disease. The patient's baseline MNC count provides a useful estimate of the volume required for LVL.

Adult↗

Collection of mobilized blood progenitor cells for hematopoietic rescue by large-volume leukapheresis.

BACKGROUND: Mobilized blood progenitor cells rapidly reconstitute hematopoiesis in patients after dose-intensive chemotherapy. However, optimal timing and methods of mobilized blood progenitor cell collection have yet to be fully defined. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The utility of large-volume leukapheresis (LVL; > 15 L blood processed) in collecting target doses of mononuclear cells (7 x 10(8)/kg) for use in autologous hematopoietic rescue was investigated. LVL was begun at a standardized interval (14 days) after a course of limited chemotherapy and subsequent daily recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage-colony-stimulating factor administration to mobilize blood progenitor cells into the circulation. With each LVL procedure, mononuclear cells, colony-forming units-granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM), burst-forming units-erythroid, mixed colonies, total clonogenic progenitor cells, and CD34+ cells collected per kg of patient weight were counted. After high-dose chemotherapy and infusion of cryopreserved mobilized blood progenitor cells, the days needed for neutrophils to reach levels of > 0.5 x 10(9) per L and for platelets to reach levels of > 20 x 10(9) per L were recorded. RESULTS: In 14 previously treated cancer patients, an average of 28.9 +/- 4.9 L of blood was processed per LVL (n = 35) to collect medians of 2.5 x 10(8) mononuclear cells per kg (range, 1.0-7.4), 14 x 10(4) CFU-GM per kg (0-208), 27 x 10(4) clonogenic progenitor cells per kg (0-370), and 2.8 x 10(6) CD34+ cells per kg (0-112.5). Fifty-seven percent of patients (8/14) required one or two LVL procedures to collect adequate blood progenitor cells (range, 1-4). After dose-intensive chemotherapy, 13 patients received medians of 6.8 x 10(8) mononuclear cells per kg (range, 5.1-9.9), 53 x 10(4) CFU-GM per kg (9-208), and 12 x 10(6) CD34+ cells per kg (3.6-112.5). Rapid hematopoietic reconstitution occurred with 10 days (range, 8-12) and 9 days (6-15), respectively, for neutrophil and platelet recoveries. CONCLUSION: Scheduled LVL, beginning on Day 14 after the administration of granulocyte-macrophage-colony-stimulating factor following chemotherapy, is a convenient and efficient method of collecting blood progenitor cells. The mononuclear cells so obtained effected consistent and rapid hematopoietic reconstitution in a highly reproducible manner in a group of heavily treated patients.

Adult↗

Immune hemolysis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and serum sickness after large doses of immune globulin given intravenously for Kawasaki disease.

One week after treatment with intravenously administered immune globulin and aspirin, a child with Kawasaki disease had persistent fever and an increase in coronary artery diameter to greater than 3 mm. Two additional doses of immune globulin were given intravenously. Rapid hemolysis occurred, followed by disseminated intravascular coagulation and serum sickness. Clinicians should be aware that immune globulin preparations contain antibodies to blood-type antigens that may cause significant hemolysis and disseminated intravascular coagulation.

ABO Blood-Group System↗