Antonino Giambona1, Margherita Vinciguerra2, Filippo Leto2, Filippo Cassarà2, Viviana Tartaglia2, Valentina Cigna3, Emanuela Orlandi3, Francesco Picciotto3, Nourah H Al Qahtani4, Eman S Alsulmi4, Noor B Almandil5, Sayed AbdulAzeez6, J Francis Borgio6, Aurelio Maggio2. 1. Unit of Hematology for Rare Diseases of Blood and Blood-Forming Organs, Laboratory for Molecular Diagnosis, and Rare Hematological Diseases, Azienda Ospedaliera, Ospedali Riuniti Villa Sofia Cervello, Via Trabucco 180, 90146, Palermo, Italy. a.giambona@villasofia.it. 2. Unit of Hematology for Rare Diseases of Blood and Blood-Forming Organs, Laboratory for Molecular Diagnosis, and Rare Hematological Diseases, Azienda Ospedaliera, Ospedali Riuniti Villa Sofia Cervello, Via Trabucco 180, 90146, Palermo, Italy. 3. Unit of Fetal Medicine and Prenatal Diagnosis, Azienda Ospedaliera, Ospedali Riuniti Villa Sofia Cervello, Palermo, Italy. 4. Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. 5. Department of Clinical Pharmacy Research, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. 6. Department of Genetic Research, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Celomic fluid can be considered as an ultra-filtrate of maternal serum, containing a high protein concentration, urea, and many other molecules. It is an important transfer interface and a reservoir of nutrients for the embryo. Celomic fluid contains fetal cells that can be used for prenatal diagnosis of monogenic diseases in an earlier gestational period than villocentesis and amniocentesis. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of celomic fluid and to establish a workflow laboratory procedure for very early prenatal diagnosis of monogenic diseases. METHODS: Three hundred and eighty-five celomatic fluids were collected between the seventh and tenth week of gestation. We sampled 1 mL of celomic fluid in all cases. The embryo-fetal erythroid precursor cells were selected by the anti-CD71 microbead method or by a direct micromanipulator pick-up on the basis of their morphology. We amplified the extracted DNA using a nested polymerase chain reaction. Primers for short tandem repeat amplification were used to perform a quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction evaluation to control maternal contamination. RESULTS: We observed maternal contamination in 95% of celomic fluids with a range between 5 and 100%. No fetal cells were observed in 0.78% of celomic fluids. The number of fetal cells ranged from a few units to several hundred. Isolation of embryo-fetal erythroblasts selected by the micromanipulator made diagnosis feasible in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: The selection of fetal cells by a micromanipulator and nested polymerase chain reaction analysis made celomatic fluid suitable for early prenatal diagnosis of monogenic disorders even in the presence of high maternal contamination and few fetal cells. The procedure reported in this study provides the opportunity for the use of celomic fluid sampled by celocentesis as an alternative to chorionic villi sampling and amniocentesis, to allow invasive prenatal diagnosis at a very early stage of pregnancy.
BACKGROUND: Celomic fluid can be considered as an ultra-filtrate of maternal serum, containing a high protein concentration, urea, and many other molecules. It is an important transfer interface and a reservoir of nutrients for the embryo. Celomic fluid contains fetal cells that can be used for prenatal diagnosis of monogenic diseases in an earlier gestational period than villocentesis and amniocentesis. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of celomic fluid and to establish a workflow laboratory procedure for very early prenatal diagnosis of monogenic diseases. METHODS: Three hundred and eighty-five celomatic fluids were collected between the seventh and tenth week of gestation. We sampled 1 mL of celomic fluid in all cases. The embryo-fetal erythroid precursor cells were selected by the anti-CD71 microbead method or by a direct micromanipulator pick-up on the basis of their morphology. We amplified the extracted DNA using a nested polymerase chain reaction. Primers for short tandem repeat amplification were used to perform a quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction evaluation to control maternal contamination. RESULTS: We observed maternal contamination in 95% of celomic fluids with a range between 5 and 100%. No fetal cells were observed in 0.78% of celomic fluids. The number of fetal cells ranged from a few units to several hundred. Isolation of embryo-fetal erythroblasts selected by the micromanipulator made diagnosis feasible in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: The selection of fetal cells by a micromanipulator and nested polymerase chain reaction analysis made celomatic fluid suitable for early prenatal diagnosis of monogenic disorders even in the presence of high maternal contamination and few fetal cells. The procedure reported in this study provides the opportunity for the use of celomic fluid sampled by celocentesis as an alternative to chorionic villi sampling and amniocentesis, to allow invasive prenatal diagnosis at a very early stage of pregnancy.
Authors: Joaquin Santolaya-Forgas; Juan De Leon-Luis; Roberto Levy D'Ancona; Jeffrey Morgan; Robert P Kauffman Journal: Fetal Diagn Ther Date: 2003 Jul-Aug Impact factor: 2.587