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[Thrombocyte alloantigens]
1Klinische Abteilung für Blutgruppenserologie, Universität Wien, Osterreich.
A variety of alloantigens is expressed by the platelet membrane, whereby currently seventeen platelet specific antigen systems have been recognized. However, in Caucasoids immunization occurs most frequently against only four of these alloantigen systems. Alloimmunization can cause neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia, post-transfusion purpura and refractoriness for platelet transfusion. The importance of all alloantigen systems is evidenced by their discovery in association with neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia. The genetic polymorphisms of all systems is characterized by a single base mutation which induces a single amino acid substitution. This amino acid change is associated with a change of the tertiary structure of the glycoprotein, which results in high antigeneicity. As the molecular structure of thirteen systems has been elucidated, genotypings can be performed from genomic DNA by simple polymerase chain reactions. Thus, any equipped institution can provide typed donors to meet the clinical demands, without the need for specific antisera.
A variety of alloantigens is expressed by the platelet membrane, whereby currently seventeen platelet specific antigen systems have been recognized. However, in Caucasoids immunization occurs most frequently against only four of these alloantigen systems. Alloimmunization can cause neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia, post-transfusion purpura and refractoriness for platelet transfusion. The importance of all alloantigen systems is evidenced by their discovery in association with neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia. The genetic polymorphisms of all systems is characterized by a single base mutation which induces a single amino acid substitution. This amino acid change is associated with a change of the tertiary structure of the glycoprotein, which results in high antigeneicity. As the molecular structure of thirteen systems has been elucidated, genotypings can be performed from genomic DNA by simple polymerase chain reactions. Thus, any equipped institution can provide typed donors to meet the clinical demands, without the need for specific antisera.