Detection of Fetal NRBCs in Maternal Blood of Pregnant Carriers of β-Thalassemia Using Anti-γ and Anti-ε Monoclonal Antibodies

• Published in: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Vol. 945; no. 1; pp. 151 - 152
• Main Authors: MAVROU, ARIADNI, KOLIALEXI, AGGELIKI, ANTSAKLIS, ARISTIDES, KRIKOS, XENOFON, KORATZIS, ASTERIS, METAXOTOU, CATHERINE
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.2001
• Subjects: Anti-γ hemoglobin chain Ab; Anti-ε hemoglobin chain Ab; Antibodies, Monoclonal - immunology; beta-Thalassemia - genetics; Erythrocytes - immunology; Female; Fetus - metabolism; Hemoglobins, Abnormal - immunology; Heterozygote; Humans; Maternal-Fetal Exchange; Noninvasive prenatal diagnosis; NRBCs; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Trimester, First; Pregnancy Trimester, Second; Sensitivity and Specificity; β-Thalassemia trait
• ISSN: 0077-8923; 1749-6632
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2001.tb03877.x

: Fetal nucleated red blood cells (NRBCs) entering maternal circulation during pregnancy constitute a potential source of material for safe and reliable noninvasive prenatal diagnosis. The increased prevalence of β‐thalassemia mutations in countries like Greece may create a problem, making it difficult to distinguish between NRBCs of fetal or maternal origin. Use of Ab against embryonic hemoglobin ε may increase specificity for fetal NRBC detection. In the present study, Ab against embryonic hemoglobin ε was used in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy in order to determine if specificity for fetal NRBC detection could be increased.