A novel monoclonal antibody based diagnostic test for alpha-thalassemia- 1
carriers due to the (-SEA/) deletion
HY Luo, BJ Clarke, J Gauldie, M Patterson, SK Liao and DH Chui
Department of Pathology, McMaster University School of Medicine, Hamilton,
Ontario, Canada.
The presence of minute amounts of embryonic zeta-globin chains in adult
hemolysates is a marker for carriers of alpha-thalassemia-1 resulting from
(--SEA/) deletion. Recently, we developed a murine monoclonal antihuman
embryonic zeta-globin chain antibody, 8E8. By using this antibody, we have
now established a slot-blot immunobinding assay for the rapid detection of
zeta-globin chains in adult hemolysates. zeta- globin chains were found to
be present in 30 blood samples obtained from individuals who were carriers
of alpha-thalassemia-1. In another 30 blood samples from individuals who
were not carriers of the (--SEA/) deletion, zeta-globin chains were not
detected. This simple diagnostic test can be used in appropriate
populations to identify those couples at risk of conceiving fetuses
afflicted with the Hb Bart's hydrops fetalis syndrome due to homozygous
alpha-thalassemia.
Volume 72,
Issue 5,
pp. 1589-1594,
11/01/1988
Copyright © 1988 by The American Society of Hematology
