title: Frequency of HPA-15a and HPA-15b (Gov a/b) human platelet alloantigens in the Croatian population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human platelet antigen (HPA) genotyping is important for epidemiological studies because the prevalence of particular HPA allotypes differs among various populations and plays a major role in the occurrence of HPA alloimmunization. In Caucasians, antibodies to HPA-1a are the most important causes of neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NATP). Recent studies suggest that anti-HPA 15a/15b (Gov b, Gov a) might be the most likely candidate antibodies following anti-HPA-1a in inducing NATP.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study, HPA-15 system genotype was determined by PCR-SSP method in 279 unrelated subjects from the Croatian population, yielding an HPA-15a and HPA-15b frequency of 0.53 and 0.47, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Retrograde testing for the presence of anti-HPA-15 antibodies by use of MAIPA in 39 frozen serum samples from serologically negative cases of clinically suspect NATP produced negative results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical role of anti-HPA-15 alloantibodies was unable to be confirmed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunohematology, Croatian Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia. maja.tomicic@hztm.htnet.hr
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomicic
authors.forename: Jasna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bingulac-Popovic
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Drazic
authors.forename: Zeljka
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hundric-Haspl
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D017523:Croatia; D005260:Female; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006801:Humans; D007518:Isoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D007519:Isoantigens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D001323:Autoantibodies; C120523:CD109 protein, human; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D007518:Isoantibodies; D007519:Isoantigens; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins