Application of QF-PCR for the prenatal assessment of discordant monozygotic twins for fetal sex.
OBJECTIVE
To establish the utility of quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (QF-PCR) in order to determine the zygosity of multiple pregnancies, as well as to define the origin of the most frequent aneuploidies in amniotic fluid samples.


METHODS
We describe the case of a monochorionic (MC) diamniotic (DA) pregnancy with phenotypically discordant twins (nuchal cystic hygroma and non-immune hydrops in twin A and no anomalies in twin B). QF-PCR was performed for rapid prenatal diagnosis in uncultured amniocytes and subsequently in cultured cells. Polymorphic markers for chromosomes X, Y, 13, 18 and 21 were used for determination of zygosity as well as sex chromosome aneuploidy.


RESULTS
Twin A showed a Turner Syndrome (TS) mosaicism pattern by QF-PCR in uncultured amniocytes. The monozygotic origin of the pregnancy was determined. Interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (I-FISH) in this sample showed a mosaicism X0/XY (83/17%). Cytogenetic analysis revealed a 45,X0 karyotype in twin A and a 46,XY karyotype in twin B.


CONCLUSIONS
QF-PCR is a reliable tool for the determination of the zygosity independently of the chorionicity and the fetal sex in case of twin pregnancy. Testing both direct and cultured cells can provide useful results for genetic counselling in chromosomal mosaicisms.
Fernández-Martínez
F J
FJ
Servicio de Genética, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain. ffernandez.hdoc@salud.madrid.org
Galindo
A
A
Moreno-Izquierdo
A
A
Gómez-Rodríguez
M J
MJ
Moreno-García
M
M
Grañeras
A
A
Barreiro
E
E
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009030:Mosaicism / Q000196:embryology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D018607:Pregnancy Reduction, Multifetal; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D019849:Sex Determination Processes; D014424:Turner Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic / Q000235:genetics*