title: Recent advances in quantitative chimerism analysis.
abstract: Quantitative chimerism analysis is a diagnostic tool used to monitor engraftment kinetics after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. It reflects the proportion of recipient and donor genotypes and is based on the identification of genetic markers characteristic to a given transplant pair. Currently, PCR amplification of short tandem repeats and single-nucleotide polymorphism-specific quantitative real-time PCR are the most widely used techniques for this purpose. In this review, we will address advances as well as technology-specific imperfections, of both techniques that have emerged over the recent years. We will discuss new principles that may simplify assay design, and improve its robustness and reliability. A better chimerism assay could then guide clinical interventions and may, eventually, improve the outcome of allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Regenerative Medicine, Hematology, Oncology and Transfusion Medicine Center, Vilnius University Hospital Santariskiu Clinics, Santariskiu 2, LT-08661, Vilnius, Lithuania. egle.gineikiene@santa.lt
authors.forename: Egle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gineikiene
authors.forename: Mindaugas
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stoskus
authors.forename: Laimonas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Griskevicius
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D046528:Chimerism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011247:Pregnancy; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012984:Software; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers