title: Developing an algorithm of informative markers for evaluation of chimerism after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
abstract: Analysis of chimerism by polymerase chain reaction amplification of STR or VNTR has become a routine procedure for the evaluation of engraftment after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Knowledge of the frequency of different STR or VNTR alleles in unrelated individuals in a population is useful for forensic work. In the context of HLA identical sibling bone marrow transplantation the informativeness of these markers needs to be evaluated. We evaluated five STRs (THO1, VWA, FES, ACTBP2, and F13A1) and 1 VNTR (APOB) for informativeness in stem cell transplants from HLA identical sibling donors. All four markers used individually allowed us to discriminate 20-56% of the patient donor pairs. Using a combination of all these markers along with a polymorphic marker in the beta-globin gene and the sex chromosome specific amelogenin marker, we were able to discriminate 99% of the patient donor pairs. We have established an algorithm for evaluating chimerism following HLA identical sibling donor transplants in the Indian population using molecular markers in 310 patients. Analysis of heterozygote frequencies in different populations is similar suggesting that this algorithm can be used universally for transplant centers to evaluate chimerism following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sellathamby
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Balasubramanian
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sivalingam
authors.forename: R V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Shaji
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mathews
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Viswabandya
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chandy
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D015415:Biomarkers; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005914:Globins / Q000378:metabolism; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000737:chemistry; D006579:Heterozygote; D006648:Histocompatibility; D006801:Humans; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D018183:Transplantation Chimera; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D017931:DNA Primers; D006680:HLA Antigens; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D005914:Globins; D004247:DNA