Short tandem repeat loci analysis with polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of graft-versus-host disease after liver transplantation / 南方医科大学学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the value of short tandem repeat (STR) analysis with fluorescence labeling polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in evaluating the status of engraftment and predicting the occurrence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) following orthotopic liver transplantation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The method of STR analysis with fluorescence labeling PCR was established. DNA was extracted by monoclonal magnetic beads from the peripheral blood nucleated cells of 23 recipients and labeled with 4 fluorescence dyes before and at 7 days after orthotopic liver transplantation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the 23 patients studied, 5 patients showed mixed chimeras after orthotopic liver transplantation. Two of the 5 patients with mixed chimeras developed GVHD and died. The other 18 patients did not show mixed chimeras, and only one of them developed GVHD. The incidence of GVHD was significantly different between the patients with and without mixed chimeras (40% vs 5.6%, P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>PCR-STR analysis after orthotopic liver transplantation can be indicative of engraftment and help to predict the occurrence of GVHD following orthotopic liver transplantation.</p>