title: The EuroChimerism concept for a standardized approach to chimerism analysis after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
abstract: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is becoming an increasingly important approach to treatment of different malignant and non-malignant disorders. There is thus growing demand for diagnostic assays permitting the surveillance of donor/recipient chimerism posttransplant. Current techniques are heterogeneous, rendering uniform evaluation and comparison of diagnostic results between centers difficult. Leading laboratories from 10 European countries have therefore performed a collaborative study supported by a European grant, the EuroChimerism Concerted Action, with the aim to develop a standardized diagnostic methodology for the detection and monitoring of chimerism in patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Following extensive analysis of a large set of microsatellite/short tandem repeat (STR) loci, the EuroChimerism (EUC) panel comprising 13 STR markers was established with the aim to optimally meet the specific requirements of quantitative chimerism analysis. Based on highly stringent selection criteria, the EUC panel provides multiple informative markers in any transplant setting. The standardized STR-PCR tests permit detection of donor- or recipient-derived cells at a sensitivity ranging between 0.8 and 1.6%. Moreover, the EUC assay facilitates accurate and reproducible quantification of donor and recipient hematopoietic cells. Wide use of the European-harmonized protocol for chimerism analysis presented will provide a basis for optimal diagnostic support and timely treatment decisions.
authors.affiliation: Children's Cancer Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics, Meduniwien, Vienna, Austria. thomas.lion@ccri.at
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lion
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Watzinger
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Preuner
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kreyenberg
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authors.lastname: Tilanus
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Weger
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authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Loon
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authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Vries
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authors.lastname: Cavé
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authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Acquaviva
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lawler
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authors.lastname: Crampe
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: B
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authors.lastname: Saglio
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authors.lastname: Colnaghi
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authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Biondi
authors.forename: J J M
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: van Dongen
authors.forename: M
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authors.lastname: van der Burg
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authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alcoceba
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barbany
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hermanson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roosnek
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Steward
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Frommlet
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bader
mesh_terms: D005060:Europe; D005819:Genetic Markers; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018183:Transplantation Chimera / Q000235:genetics*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers