P123 HPA typing with LinkS[formula omitted]q™, a real-time PCR detection system

Abstract

The interaction of membrane-bound platelet-specific glycoproteins (GP) with the extracellular matrix plays a significant role in hemostasis. Human Platelet Antigens (HPA) are glycoproteins expressed on platelet membranes. Polymorphisms in Human Platelet Antigens (HPA) can stimulate production of antibodies in recipients of transfused platelets from donors with different HPAs. Platelet incompatibility is associated with various forms of thrombopenias, post-transfusion purpura and other blood disorders. HPA typing is typically performed with serological techniques that are currently being replaced by molecular methods. Linkage Biosciences has developed and validated a test consisting of 24 reactions that identifies both variants of the 12 relevant SNPs located within HPA genes. Of these 24 variants, 18 alleles have been shown to produce alloantigens. The LinkS e ¯ q system overcomes the major challenges of HPA molecular typing by providing a robust and automated approach resulting in increased laboratory productivity and decreased turn-around time. The analysis is mediated by SureTyper™ software which generates rapid typing results. With less than 10 minutes of hands-on set-up and no further operator intervention with the reagents, LinkS e ¯ q uses state of the art real-time PCR detection to provide complete molecular genotyping results in approximately 90 minutes. Further, since amplified products are never handled, the risk of laboratory contamination is reduced. The LinkS e ¯ q system can provide a simple, effective and robust method for determining the HPA typing profile of DNA samples.