Advances in ABO gene expression regulation

The ABO blood group system is vital to blood transfusion and organ transplantation. ABO antigens are the most important of all blood group antigens in clinical practice, and are not only present in red blood cells and platelets, but also in most secretions and epithelial tissues. ABO antigens are known to undergo drastic changes during the development, differentiation, and maturation of normal cells. Profound changes have also been documented in pathological processes such as tumorigenesis. To elucidate the molecular basis of how ABO genes are controlled in cell type specific expressions, such as normal cell differentiation or in cancer cells lacking A/B antigens, it is essential to understand the regulatory mechanisms of ABO gene expression. In this review, current knowledge concerning the regulatory mechanisms of ABO gene expression was summarized.