title: Exploring SOD1 Gene for the Detection of Fetal Down Syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Fetal cells and circulating cellfree fetal DNA increases in the maternal circulation in women carrying trisomy 21 fetus.
  
  
  METHODS
  We attempted the use of superoxide dismutase (SOD-1) gene, which is located at the Down Syndrome Critical Region, to overcome this situation for the prenatal screening of Down syndrome. The prospective of the gene using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was explored.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The level of SOD-1 sequences is significantly elevated in the third trimester normal pregnancies (mean = 11728 copies/μl) when compared to the second trimester (mean = 5705.6 copies/μl), (p<0.005) and non pregnant normal women (mean = 3580.2 copies/μl), (p<0.0001). Down syndrome pregnancies have the greatest elevation compared to all the three trimesters of normal singleton pregnancies and twin pregnancies, p<0.05.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data indicate that a quantitative analysis using a gene associated with a disorder could be used in screening for the prenatal diagnosis of fetal aneuploidies regardless of the sex of the fetus.
authors.affiliation: Universiti Putra Malaysia.
authors.forename: Karuppiah
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thilakavathy
authors.forename: Rosli
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rozita
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Baskaran