CHIMERISM ANALYSIS
Background
Thousands of people suffer from leukaemia, aplastic anaemia and immune deficiency diseases in which the stem cells of bone marrow malfunction. This results in defective blood cells that interfere with normal blood production and may invade other tissues. Treatment to destroy abnormal stem cells, followed by transplantation of stem cells from compatible healthy donor tissue have increased the success of treating these diseases. Chimeras, an individual composed of two genetically distinct types of cells, result from the transplant.
Quantification of chimerism is used to monitor engraftment of donor cells following stem cell transplantation and is essential for early diagnosis of graft failure or relapse of the disease.
Chimerism Testing at WRGL
Analysis of transplant recipient, donor and post-transplant samples using PCR of a panel of polymorphic microsatellite markers followed by data analysis using ChimerMarker software from SoftGenetics is performed. The software identifies markers which are used to track the recipient’s response to bone marrow transplant and the percentage donor chimerism for each post transplant sample received is reported.
Cost, Sample Requirements & Turnaround Times
Test |
Cost NZD* |
Sample Requirements |
Current TAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chimerism analysis - work-up & first post-transplant sample |
$373 | 4 ml of whole blood in EDTA (purple top) from recipient pre-transplant, 4 ml of whole blood in EDTA (purple top) from donor, 4 ml of whole blood in EDTA (purple top) from recipient post-transplant |
1 week from receipt of each post-transplant sample |
| Chimerism analysis - subsequent post-transplant sample |
$213 | 4 ml of whole blood in EDTA (purple top) from recipient post-transplant | 1 week from receipt of each post-transplant sample |
*No direct charge for the central region DHBs covered by the Crown Funding Agreement
Reference
Bryant E, Martin PJ. Documentation of engraftment and characterization of chimerism following hematopoietic cell transplantation. In: Forman S, Blune K, Thomas ED, eds. Hematopoietic cell transplantation. 2nd ed. Malden, MA: Blackwell Science, 1998.
Chimerism Analysis
ABOUT USWellington Regional Genetics Laboratory (WRGL) provides a comprehensive, integrated diagnostic cytogenetic and molecular genetic testing service
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CONTACT US(04) 918-5352wrgl@ccdhb.org.nz Please note that genetic test results are only released directly to the referring clinician and not to patients |
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