Polymerase chain reaction based human leucocyte antigen genotyping for the investigation of suspected gastrointestinal biopsy contamination.
BACKGROUND
Mislabelling or contamination of surgical specimens may lead to diagnostic inaccuracy, particularly within gastrointestinal pathology when multiple small mucosal biopsy specimens are commonly taken, and where a tiny fragment of foreign tissue may be indistinguishable from true biopsy material using histological assessment alone.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the utility of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based human leucocyte antigen (HLA) genotyping techniques for the investigation of potentially mislabelled or contaminated gastrointestinal biopsy specimens.


METHODS
Ten cases (28 samples) in which mislabelling or contamination was suspected, comprising four upper gastrointestinal tract biopsies and six colonoscopic biopsy series.


METHODS
Direct and nested PCR-sequence specific primer (SSP) based HLA class II genotyping was performed on DNA extracted from formalin fixed and paraffin wax embedded tissue (23 samples) or peripheral blood leucocytes (five samples).


RESULTS
A full HLA-DRB1 genotype was determined in all 28 samples. In seven cases the HLA-DRB1 genotype of the putative contaminant was different to that of the corresponding reference tissue, confirming different individual origins for the contaminant and reference material. In one case the contaminant tissue was shown to possess the same HLA-DRB1 alleles as a second patient (probable source). In the remaining three cases the same HLA-DRB1 alleles were detected within the potential contaminant and reference tissues.


CONCLUSIONS
PCR based HLA class II genotyping is a valuable tool for investigating potential contamination or mislabelling within gastrointestinal biopsy specimens and this report has confirmed contamination in seven of ten cases studied.
Department of Histopathology, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK.
A C
AC
Bateman
S J
SJ
Turner
J M
JM
Theaker
B F
BF
Warren
W M
WM
Howell
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy / Q000592:standards*; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D005784:Gene Amplification; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*
D006680:HLA Antigens; D004247:DNA