GM AND KM TYPING IN FORENSIC SCIENCE - A METHODS MONOGRAPH

• NCJ Number: 60997
• Journal: Journal of the Forensic Science Society Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1979) Pages: 27-47
• Author(s): A KIPPS
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 21 pages
• Corporate Author: Forensic Science Soc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom
• Note: BASED ON A SYMPOSIUM HELD AT THE HOME OFFICE CENTRAL RESEARCH ESTABLISHMENT, ALDERMASTON, ENGLAND, JULY 1976

Annotation

MORE THAN 20 DIFFERENT BLOOD GROUPINGS HAVE BEEN REPORTED AS SUITABLE FOR FORENSIC USE. THIS BRITISH REPORT DESCRIBES GM AND KM, THE IMMUNOGLOBULIN ANTIGENS, AND HOW THEY CAN BE USED IN BLOOD ANALYSIS.

Abstract

IN SENSITIVITY AND DURABILITY, THE ABO BLOOD GROUP SYSTEM IS SUPERIOR TO ANY OTHER IN CURRENT USE FOR STAIN GROUPING. IN OVERALL TERMS, THE GM AND KM SYSTEM MUST BE CONSIDERED AS THE SECOND CHOICE. GM AND KM ARE LOCATED ON IMMUNOGLOBULIN MOLECULES, PROTEINS CONSISTING OF MORE THAN ONE POLYPEPTIDE CHAIN LINKED TOGETHER BY DISULPHIDE BONDS INTO A SINGLE STRUCTURAL UNIT. GM AND KM ANTIGENS ARE FOUND ON THE CONSTANT REGIONS OF IMMUNOGLOBULIN POLYPEPTIDE CHAINS. BOTH ANTIGENS ARE INHERITED. BOTH ARE SUITABLE FOR FORENSIC BLOOD GROUPING AS THEY ARE STABLE TO MODERATE HEAT AND ALKALI, ARE UNAFFECTED BY HAEMOLYSIS AND NON-STERILE CONDITIONS, AND MAY BE STORED AT ROOM TEMPERATURES FOR DAYS OR AT MINUS 20 DEGREES FOR MANY YEARS. THE COMPONENTS OF THE GM AND KM TYPING SYSTEM ARE: (1) RED CELLS SENSITIZED WITH AN APPROPRIATE INCOMPLETE ANTI-RH ANTISERUM, (2) ANTISERUM SPECIFIC FOR THE GM ANTIGEN BEING DETERMINED, AND (3) THE SAMPLE TO BE TYPED. DETAILED METHODS NOW IN USE FOR GM AND KM GROUPING AT THE FORENSIC SCIENCE LABORATORY IN LONDON, ENGLAND ARE GIVEN. THESE TECHNIQUES ARE SEMSITIZATION OF RED CELLS WITH AN ANTI-D OF UNKNOWN TITRE; SENSITIZATION USING AN ANTI-D OF KNOWN TITRE; TITRATION OF ANTI-GM ANTISERA; GM TYPING OF SERUM; GM TYPING OF BLOOD STAINS; EXTRACTION TECHNIQUE FOR STAIN TYPING; ABO TYPING OF LIQUID BLOOD; RHESUS TYPING OF LIQUID BLOOD ; ANTI-HUMAN GLOBULIN TEST; EXTRACTION TECHNIQUE FOR STAINED FABRIC. THE BIGGEST SINGLE FACTOR LIMITING THE CHOICE OF GM ALLOTYPES IS THE AVAILABILITY OF ANTISERA. THIS IS LIKELY TO REMAIN A PROBLEM EVEN WITH THE DISCOVERY OF NEW GM AND KM GROUPS, UNTIL PRODUCTION OF ANTISERA BY IMMUNIZATION OF LABORATORY ANIMALS IS UNDERTAKEN ON A COMMERCIAL SCALE. THE ARTICLE CONTAINS EXTENSIVE TABULAR DATA; REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (MJW)