Identification of Fetal Nucleated Red Blood Cells in the Maternal Circulation during Pregnancy Using Anti-Hemoglobin-ε Antibody
Authors:
- A. MavrouAMA. Mavrou
- A. KolialexiAKA. Kolialexi
- A. KorantzisAKA. Korantzis
- C. MetaxotouCMC. Metaxotou
- 15 August 2003
- journal article
- Published by S. Karger AG in Fetal Diagnosis and Therapy
- Vol. 18 (5) , 309-313
Abstract
Aim: To investigate the use of anti-hemoglobin-Ε antibody in order to identify fetal cells in the maternal circulation during pregnancy. Materials and Methods: 48 blood samples were obtained from pregnant women, 26 in the 1st trimester and 22 in the 2nd trimester. Magnetic activated cell sorting was used for fetal cell enrichment followed by immunophenotyping with a monoclonal antibody against hemoglobin-Ε. FISH with X, Y and 21 chromosome-specific probes was performed in 29 cases. Results: The mean number of Ε-positive cells was 9.2 (range 2–23) in the 1st trimester, 4.8 (range 3–13) in the 2nd trimester and 22 (range 15–28) in pregnancies with Down syndrome. No significant difference was noted in the number of Ε-positive nucleated red blood cells (NRBCs) isolated from carriers and noncarriers of β-thalassemia. FISH analysis was successful in 24 cases. In 4 cases with known male fetuses, an average of 4.7 Ε-positive cells showed a Y signal. In 4 cases with Down syndrome, all Ε-positive cells showed 3 signals for chromosome 21. Conclusion: Anti-hemoglobin-Ε antibody has increased specificity for fetal NRBCs and should be preferentially used to improve noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of chromosome abnormalities from fetal cells in maternal blood.Keywords
This publication has 11 references indexed in Scilit:
- Simultaneous fetal cell identification and diagnosis by epsilon-globin chain immunophenotyping and chromosomal fluorescence in situ hybridizationBlood, 2001
- Embryonic and fetal globins are expressed in adult erythroid progenitor cells and in erythroid cell culturesPrenatal Diagnosis, 2001
- Magnetic‐activated cell sorting (MACS) significantly decreases the hybridization efficiency of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)Prenatal Diagnosis, 2001
- Prenatal detection of fetal Down's syndrome from maternal plasmaThe Lancet, 2000
- Improved Specificity of NRBC Detection in Chorionic Villus Sample Supernatant Fluids Using Anti-Zeta and Anti-Epsilon Monoclonal AntibodiesFetal Diagnosis and Therapy, 1999
- Strategies for Rare-Event Detection: An Approach for Automated Fetal Cell Detection in Maternal BloodThe American Journal of Human Genetics, 1998
- Enrichment of Fetal Nucleated Red Blood Cells from the Maternal Circulation for Prenatal Diagnosis: Experiences with Triple Density Gradient and MACS Based on More than 600 CasesFetal Diagnosis and Therapy, 1998
- Disturbed Feto-Maternal Cell Traffic in PreeclampsiaObstetrics & Gynecology, 1998
- Presence of fetal DNA in maternal plasma and serumThe Lancet, 1997
- Prenatal diagnosis of sickle cell anaemia and thalassaemia by analysis of fetal cells in maternal bloodNature Genetics, 1996