Journal of Genetic Syndromes & Gene Therapy
Open Access

Abstract

Preimplantation Hla Typing- Practical Tool for Stem Cell Transplantation Treatment of Congenital and Acquired Disorders

Anver Kuliev, Oleg Verlinsly and Svetlana Rechitsky

It is well known that to achieve an acceptable engraftment and survival in stem cell therapy, an HLA identical stem cell transplant is strongly required. However, the availability of the HLA matched donors even among family members is extremely limited, so pre-implantation HLA typing provides an attractive practical tool of stem cell therapy for children requiring HLA matched stem cell transplantation.

The present experience of PGD for HLA typing of over one thousand cases shows that PGD provides the atrisk couples with important prospect not only to avoid an inherited risk of producing the offspring with congenital disease, but also to establish an unaffected pregnancy, which may benefit the affected member of the family with hemoglobinopathies, immunodeficiencies and other congenital or acquired bone marrow failures.

Despite ethical issues involved in pre-implantation HLA typing, the data presented below show the increasing attractiveness of this option for the couples with affected children requiring HLA compatible stem cell transplantation. So the couples at risk of having children with congenital bone marrow disorders have to be informed about presently available option not only for avoiding the birth of affected child, but also for selecting a suitable stem cell donor for their affected siblings.