Chimera formation of platelet GP II b Bak a/b by intrauterine transplantation of fetal liver stem cells.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether artificial heterozygous chimeras of platelets can be established by intrauterine transplantation of fetal liver stem cells and evaluate its potential use for the treatment of Glanzmann thrombasthenia.


METHODS
Platelet glycoprotein (GP) II b Bak a/b (or GP II b I le843Ser) was used as a genetic marker. A homozygous 16-week-old Bak a/a fetus (as donor) and a homozygous 16.5-week-old Bak b/b fetus (as recipient) were screened from 42 pregnant women hospitalized for abortion. PCR with allele specific primers and FOK I digestion based on PCR products were used. Aborted donor fetal liver cell suspensions were prepared and intrauterine transplantation was carried out by infusion of 4 ml fetal liver cells (22 x 10(5)) into the recipient umbilical vein under ultrasonic visualization.


RESULTS
At gestation termination (abortion), 21 days after transplantation, chimera GP II b Bak a/b of the recipient were detected by FOK 1 digestion based on PCR from DNA and RT-PCR from platelet RNA.


CONCLUSIONS
Intrauterine transplantation of fetal liver cell may provide an effective way for curing GT or other inherited diseases.
Chen
F
F
Department of Hematology, Xiang Ya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China. xychenfp@public.cs.hn.cn
Xie
Q
Q
Jian
Z
Z
Zhang
X
X
Zhang
L
L
Wu
X
X
D000328:Adult; D002678:Chimera; D005260:Female; D016332:Fetal Tissue Transplantation; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology*; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex / Q000235:genetics*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013915:Thrombasthenia / Q000628:therapy*; D014599:Uterus / Q000378:metabolism*
D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex