Analysis of the status of mouse fetal transgenic cells existed in the maternal peripheral blood / 中华检验医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the status of mouse fetal transgenic cells existed in the maternal blood in peri-natal period and provide the information for gene diagnosis using fetal cells circulated in the maternal blood.Methods Mating the female normal mice with male transgenic mice integrated with GFP reporter gene driven by ?-globin promoter and HS2-HS3 elements of LCR. Around the offspring were born, maternal blood was collected and GFP expression level was determined with FACS analysis. Meanwhile, DNA extracted from the tails of the mothers and their offspring as well as the maternal blood were analyzed by PCR.Results GFP positive fetal cells were not found in maternal blood before offspring were born. 1-3 weeks later, GFP positive fetal cells were detected and this population in maternal peripheral blood reached the peak. 4-5 weeks later, they disappeared gradually. PCR results showed no GFP positive band in the mothers. However, a positive fragment of GFP gene was amplified in maternal blood samples after their offspring were born. This result was in accordance with FACS analysis.Conclusion Transgene cells may be useful markers for the study of status of fetal cells existed in the maternal circulating blood. The results would be beneficial for the gene diagnosis using maternal blood as an alternative resource of fetal cells.