Genotyping of human neutrophil antigens 1, 3, 4 and 5 using a novel multiplex polymerase chain reaction.

Objectives: Our study aimed to establish a novel multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for rapid simultaneous detection of all relevant human neutrophil antigen (HNA)-1, -3, -4 and -5 alleles.

Background: Granulocyte-reactive antibodies are involved in several diseases, such as neonatal alloimmune neutropenia, autoimmune neutropenia and transfusion-related acute lung injury. A panel of well-defined test granulocytes is required for diagnostic antibody detection and prospective blood donor screening.

An international external quality assessment for laboratory diagnosis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.

Essentials A pilot study for External Quality Assessment for testing of HIT is described. The qualitative accordance for the PF4/heparin IgG test was 97.6%.

Low incidence of heparin-induced skin lesions in orthopedic surgery patients with low-molecular-weight heparins.

Background: Heparins are widely prescribed for prevention and therapy of arterial and venous thromboembolic diseases. Heparin-induced skin lesions are the most frequent adverse effect of subcutaneous heparin treatment in non-surgical patients (7.5%-39.

Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neuronal cells from a sporadic Alzheimer's disease donor as a model for investigating AD-associated gene regulatory networks.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex, irreversible neurodegenerative disorder. At present there are neither reliable markers to diagnose AD at an early stage nor therapy. To investigate underlying disease mechanisms, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) allow the generation of patient-derived neuronal cells in a dish.

The implementation of surface plasmon resonance technique in monitoring pregnancies with expected fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia.

Background: Maternal anti-HPA-1a alloantibodies are responsible for most cases of severe fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT). The presence of HPA-1a alloantibodies in maternal blood alone does not predict the fetal platelet (PLT) count, and the predictivity of antibody titers determined by enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) is debated. In contrast to EIA, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) provides information on antibody-binding properties.

A new platelet alloantigen, Swi(a) , located on glycoprotein Ia identified in a family with fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia.

Background: Fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) is a bleeding disorder caused by transplacental passage of maternal antibodies to fetuses whose platelets (PLTs) express the corresponding human PLT antigen (HPA).

Study Designs And Methods: We observed a fetus with FNAIT who died from a severe intracranial hemorrhage. Analysis of maternal serum in antigen capture assay with paternal PLTs showed reactivity with PLT glycoprotein (GP)IIb/IIIa (α(IIb) β(3) ) and GPIa/IIa (α(2) β(1) integrin), indicating the presence of anti-HPA-1a and an additional alloantibody against GPIa (termed anti-Swi(a) ).