Specific magnetic bead-based capture of free fetal DNA from maternal plasma.

An automated magnetic capture hybridization (MCH) method for the extraction and enrichment of fetal RHD specific DNA fragments from maternal plasma was developed using plasma from 1000 D-negative pregnant women. A real time PCR protocol for RHD exon 7 was applied. MCH was compared with the QIAamp DSP Virus Kit (QIAamp) as a reference.

Fetal DNA: strategies for optimal recovery.

For fetal DNA extraction, in principle each DNA extraction method can be used; however, because most methods have been optimized for genomic DNA from leucocytes, we describe here the methods that have been optimized for the extraction of fetal DNA from maternal plasma and validated for this purpose in our laboratories. The use of the QIAamp DSP Virus kit (QIAGEN), the QIAamp DNA Blood Mini kit (QIAGEN), and the Magna Pure LC (Roche) is based on the kit components provided by the respective companies. However, we noticed that the yield of fetal DNA from maternal plasma can be increased when higher volumes are processed or some slight modifications of the protocols provided by the manufacturer are followed.

Transfer of humoral and cellular hepatitis B immunity by allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Background: Previous data indicate that a transfer of specific humoral and cellular immunity by way of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) should, in principle, be possible.

Methods: In the HCT setting with a follow-up of up to 55 months, we studied the transfer of hepatitis B virus (HBV) specific immunity from electively immunized donors into HLA compatible recipients suffering from chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). After excluding preexisting HBV specific immunity in donor-recipient pairs, 27 prospective donors were vaccinated against HBV.

An international collaborative study to establish a World Health Organization international standard for hepatitis B virus DNA nucleic acid amplification techniques.

Background And Objectives: Twenty-two laboratories from nine countries participated in an international collaborative study to establish a World Health Organization (WHO) international standard for hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA nucleic acid amplification techniques (NAT).

Materials And Methods: Three samples, AA, BB (both of which were lyophilized) and CC (which was a liquid preparation), were analysed using several different NAT assays. The mean HBV DNA content of each sample was determined from the study.