FETAL RHD GENOTYPING FROM MATERNAL PLASMA BY USING REAL TIME PCR

• Grant number: 07/07151-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2008
• End date: February 28, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Immunogenetics
• Principal Investigator: Lilian Maria de Castilho
• Grantee: Daphne Renata Tavares Amaral
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) is characterized by the presence of maternal antibodies against fetal red cells leading to the premature destruction of these cells. The HDFN is frequently associated with the antibody against antigen D that has high immunogenicity and prevalence in the population. The HDFN still contributes significantly to perinatal morbidity and mortality, in spite of the widespread immunoprophylaxis in developed countries. Prenatal determination of fetal RHD genotype would be useful in the management of pregnancies. If the fetus is predicted to be RHD-negative in an immunized mother, the need for further invasive techniques is diminished. Consequently, transplacental hemorrhage with deterioration of clinical features and procedure-related fetal losses are avoided. Despite this, no other investigations and unnecessary immune globulin anti-D administration are avoided in non-immunized pregnant women. The recent identification of high concentrations of cell-free fetal DNA in maternal plasma made the noninvasive fetal RHD genotyping possible. The analysis of this cell-free DNA is advantageous as the fetal DNA has a very short post-partum half-life. It has been demonstrated that real-time PCR assays can obtain accurate results in a quick and non-demanding way. For these reasons, our aim is to conduct a study to evaluate the clinical application of fetal RHD genotyping from maternal plasma using the real time PCR, by assessing its accuracy.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

AMARAL, DAPHNE R. T.; CREDIDIO, DEBORA C.; PELLEGRINO, JR., JORDAO; CASTILHO, LILIAN. Fetal RHD Genotyping by Analysis of Maternal Plasma in a Mixed Population. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL LABORATORY ANALYSIS, v. 25, n. 2, p. 100-104, 2011. (09/05924-0, 07/07151-3)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

AMARAL, Daphne Renata Tavares. Fetal RHD genotyping by analysis of maternal plasma in a population from Brazil. 2010. Master's Dissertation - Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Ciências Médicas Campinas, SP.