Rapid prenatal diagnosis of aneuploidy for chromosomes 21, 18, 13, X, and Y using segmental duplication quantitative fluorescent PCR (SD-QF-PCR).

BACKGROUND: In our previous studies, the rapid diagnosis of aneuploidy has been achieved using the segmental duplication molecular markers-based SD-QF-PCR technique. However, it is also insufficient due to the drawbacks including less detection loci and incompetence in single-tube detection.

METHODS: In this paper, we developed 13 new segmental duplications as molecular markers, as well as designed 13 pairs of primers and 1 fluorescence-labeled universal primer, which could detect chromosome aneuploidies in one PCR tube.

RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty samples were detected using SD-QF-PCR, the samples were collected from individuals with trisomy 21 (n=16); trisomy 18 (n=4); trisomy 13 (n=3); 45,X (n=3); 47,XXY (n=2); 47,XYY (n=2); suspected mosaic 46,XX/46,XY (n=2); and unaffected controls (n=198).

CONCLUSIONS: The detection results of SD-QF-PCR were consistent with those of conventional karyotype analysis. SD-QF-PCR based on the newly developed segmental duplications enables the single-tube and multi-locus simultaneous detection on the number of chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X and Y. Therefore, this technique offers a new alternative for the diagnosis of chromosome aneuploidies.