BACKGROUND: Fetal microchimerism (F-MC), the persistence of fetal cells in the mother, is frequently encountered following pregnancy. The high prevalence of F-MC in autoimmune disease prompts consideration of the role for immune tolerance and regulation. This study examines the association between F-MC and multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disorder, of undetermined etiology. RESULTS: 21 out of 51 MS-positive subjects (41%) were classified as positive for F-MC; 4 of 22 (18%) of MS-negative sibling controls, were also positive for MC (p = 0.066). Unanticipated F-MC in controls lead to re-evaluation using 30 female singleton cord blood units (CBUs) as a biological control. Four CBUs were low-level positive. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Seventy-three female subjects were assigned to three groups according to disease status and pregnancy history: (1) MS positive (+) women with a history of one male pregnancy before symptom onset (n = 27); (2) MS negative (-) female siblings of MS(+) women with a history of one male pregnancy (n = 22); and (3) MS(+) women that reported never having been pregnant (n = 24). Ten micrograms of genomic DNA obtained from peripheral blood leukocytes of each subject were analyzed for F-MC using allele-specific real-time PCR targeting the SR-Y sequence on the Y-chromosome. MC classification was dichotomous (positive vs. negative) based on PCR results. CONCLUSION: The association between F-MC and MS warrants further study to define this relationship. F-MC in women self-reporting as nulligravid, supports previous findings that a significant proportion of pregnancies go undetected. This lead to re-validation of a Y-chromosome based assay for F-MC detection.
BACKGROUND: Fetal microchimerism (F-MC), the persistence of fetal cells in the mother, is frequently encountered following pregnancy. The high prevalence of F-MC in autoimmune disease prompts consideration of the role for immune tolerance and regulation. This study examines the association between F-MC and multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disorder, of undetermined etiology. RESULTS: 21 out of 51 MS-positive subjects (41%) were classified as positive for F-MC; 4 of 22 (18%) of MS-negative sibling controls, were also positive for MC (p = 0.066). Unanticipated F-MC in controls lead to re-evaluation using 30 female singleton cord blood units (CBUs) as a biological control. Four CBUs were low-level positive. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Seventy-three female subjects were assigned to three groups according to disease status and pregnancy history: (1) MS positive (+) women with a history of one male pregnancy before symptom onset (n = 27); (2) MS negative (-) female siblings of MS(+) women with a history of one male pregnancy (n = 22); and (3) MS(+) women that reported never having been pregnant (n = 24). Ten micrograms of genomic DNA obtained from peripheral blood leukocytes of each subject were analyzed for F-MC using allele-specific real-time PCR targeting the SR-Y sequence on the Y-chromosome. MC classification was dichotomous (positive vs. negative) based on PCR results. CONCLUSION: The association between F-MC and MS warrants further study to define this relationship. F-MC in women self-reporting as nulligravid, supports previous findings that a significant proportion of pregnancies go undetected. This lead to re-validation of a Y-chromosome based assay for F-MC detection.
Authors: Tzong-Hae Lee; Daniel M Chafets; William Reed; Li Wen; Yunting Yang; Jennifer Chen; Garth H Utter; John T Owings; Michael P Busch Journal: Transfusion Date: 2006-11 Impact factor: 3.157
Authors: Tzong-Hae Lee; Teresa Paglieroni; Garth H Utter; Daniel Chafets; Robert C Gosselin; William Reed; John T Owings; Paul V Holland; Michael P Busch Journal: Transfusion Date: 2005-08 Impact factor: 3.157
Authors: Katherine A Guthrie; Hilary S Gammill; Mads Kamper-Jørgensen; Anne Tjønneland; Vijayakrishna K Gadi; J Lee Nelson; Wendy Leisenring Journal: Am J Epidemiol Date: 2016-11-15 Impact factor: 4.897
Authors: Giovanna I Cruz; Xiaorong Shao; Hong Quach; Kimberly A Ho; Kirsten Sterba; Janelle A Noble; Nikolaos A Patsopoulos; Michael P Busch; Darrell J Triulzi; Wendy S W Wong; Benjamin D Solomon; John E Niederhuber; Lindsey A Criswell; Lisa F Barcellos Journal: J Autoimmun Date: 2016-07-04 Impact factor: 7.094