Prevalence and clinical significance of low-avidity HPA-1a antibodies in women exposed to HPA-1a during pregnancy (original) (raw)

A prospective study of maternal anti-HPA 1a antibody level as a potential predictor of alloimmune thrombocytopenia in the newborn

…, 2008

Background Neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia is most commonly due to transplacental passage of maternal anti-HPA 1a antibodies. A prospective study was carried out to evaluate the pattern and quantity of maternal anti-HPA 1a antibodies in order to predict the level of thrombocytopenia in the neonates. Design and Methods A monoclonal antibody immobilization of platelet antigen assay was used to detect antibodies in maternal samples from 1,990 HPA 1bb women. HLA DRB3*0101 typing was performed in all immunized women by sequencing the HLA DRB3 gene when present. Results Primary immunization more often took place in connection with delivery than during the first pregnancy. There was a strong correlation between maternal antibody levels and the platelet counts in the newborn (R 2 =0.49, p<0.001). A maternal antibody level above 3.0 IU/mL measured in gestational week 22 or 34 had a diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 93% and 63%, respectively, for predicting the grade of neonatal thrombocytopenia. The women who were negative for HLA DRB3*0101 had significantly lower anti-HPA 1a antibody levels than those who were HLA DRB3*0101 positive (p<0.007). In contrast to primigravida, in whom anti-HPA 1a antibody levels increased during pregnancy, the antibody level decreased in 92 of 147 women who had been pregnant previously (P92 or more of 147 = 0.003). The anti-HPA 1a antibody level regularly increased after delivery. Conclusions Maternal anti-HPA 1a antibody levels in weeks 22 and 34 of pregnancy are good predictors of the degree of thrombocytopenia in the newborn both in the first and subsequent pregnancies. Most mothers became immunized at the time of delivery.

Fetal exposure to maternal human platelet antigen-1a does not induce tolerance. An analytical observational study

PLOS ONE

Fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) is a disease that may cause severe bleeding complications with risk of perinatal death or lifelong disability. The main cause of FNAIT is maternal antibodies against human platelet antigen (HPA)-1a. Both fetomaternal bleeding and transplacental trafficking of fetal cells during pregnancy could be the cause of alloimmunization. Persistence of fetal cells in the mother (fetal microchimerism) and maternal cells in the child (maternal microchimerism) are well-recognized phenomena. Thus, it could be envisaged that fetal exposure to the HPA-1a antigen could tolerize an HPA-1a negative female fetus and prevent production of anti-HPA-1a antibodies later in life if she becomes pregnant with an HPA-1a positive fetus. The objective of the current study was to assess if the risk of producing anti-HPA-1a antibodies and the severity of neonatal thrombocytopenia in HPA-1a negative women with HPA-1a positive mothers (i.e. the mother is HPA-1a/b), was lower than in HPA-1a negative women with HPA-1a negative mothers. HPA-1a negative women with HPA-1a antibodies, identified from a Norwegian screening study (1996-2004), where HPA-1 genotype of their mothers was available, were included in the study. The frequency of HPA-1a positive mothers to HPA-1a immunized daughters were compared to the calculated frequency in the general population. We did not find any difference in the frequency of HPA-1ab among mothers to daughters with HPA-1a antibodies as compared with the general population. Furthermore, acknowledging samplesize limitations, we neither found an association between the mothers' HPA type and their daughters' anti-HPA-1a antibody levels or any difference between the two groups of mothers (HPA-1ab vs HPA-1bb), with respect to frequency of thrombocytopenia in the children of their daughters with HPA-1a antibodies. Hence, there was no indication of tolerance against fetal HPA-1a antigen in HPA-1bb women who had been exposed to HPA-1a antigen during fetal development.

Neonatal Thrombocytopenia in HLA-DR, -DQ, -DP-Typed Mother due to Rare Anti-HPA-1b (PLA2) (Zwb) Fetomaternal Immunization

Vox Sanguinis, 1994

A new case of rare neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia, due to an IgG anti-HPA-lb in a mother HPA-1 (a+, b-), was diagnosed using monoclonal antibodyspecific immobilization of platelet antigens. Clinically, it was similar to the 2 previously reported observations and confirmed that, in this particular case of anti-HPA-lb, the treatment with random platelet pools may be as effective as selected single-donor platelet units when maternal platelets are unusable. The HLA-DR,-DQ,-DP genotypes of the family were obtained by PCR-SSO. The mother's typing, compared to the HLA-DR of the 6 similar cases reported in Europe, suggests that a combined effect of two rare HLA haplotypes might enhance this immunization.

Low-frequency human platelet antigens as triggers for neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia

Transfusion, 2013

Background-Twenty-four low frequency platelet antigens (HPAs) have been implicated as immunogens in neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT). We performed studies to define more fully how often these antigens trigger maternal immunization leading to NAIT. Study design and methods-In a Phase 1 study, fathers of selected NAIT cases not resolved by serologic testing but thought to have a high likelihood of NAIT on clinical and serologic grounds were typed for low frequency HPAs (LFHPAs) by DNA sequencing. In a Phase 2 study, high-throughput methods were used to type fathers of 1067 consecutive unresolved NAIT cases for LFHPAs. Mothers of 1338 unresolved cases were also typed to assess the prevalence of LFHPAs in a population racially/ethnically similar to the fathers. Results-In Phase 1, LFHPAs were identified in 16 of 244 fathers (6.55%). In Phase 2, LFPAs were found in only 28 of 1067 fathers (2.62%). LFHPAs were identified in 27 of 1338 maternal samples (2.01%). HPA-9bw was by far the most common LFHPA identified in the populations

The Development of Severe Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia due to Anti-HPA-1a Antibodies Is Correlated to Maternal ABO Genotypes

Clinical and Developmental Immunology, 2012

Background. Maternal alloantibodies against HPA-1a can cross placenta, opsonize foetal platelets, and induce neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT). In a study of 100, 448 pregnant women in Norway during [1995][1996][1997][1998][1999][2000][2001][2002][2003][2004].6% of HPA-1a negative women had detectable anti-HPA-1a antibodies. Design and Methods. A possible correlation between the maternal ABO blood group phenotype, or underlying genotype, and severe thrombocytopenia in the newborn was investigated. Results. We observed that immunized women with blood group O had a lower risk of having a child with severe NAIT than women with group A; 20% with blood group O gave birth to children with severe NAIT, compared to 47% among the blood group A mothers (relative risk 0.43; 95% CI 0.25-0.75). Conclusion. The risk of severe neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia due to anti-HPA-1a antibodies is correlated to maternal ABO types, and this study indicates that the observation is due to genetic properties on the maternal side.

The natural history of maternal immunization against foetal platelet alloantigens

Transfusion Medicine, 2004

Foetomaternal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FMAIT) occurs when maternal antibodies of an antigen-negative mother cause destruction of sensitized foetal platelets. In Caucasian populations, 6-12% of human platelet antigen (HPA)-1a-negative women develop anti-HPA-1a, and the incidence of clinically affected cases is estimated to be 10-20% of immunized women. This study was performed in order to elucidate the rate of maternal immunization, incidence of FMAIT and the likely outcome of the condition in Asians. Excluding two or more pregnancies during the period, serum samples from 24 630 pregnant women, mainly Japanese, were screened for antibodies against platelet alloantigens by means of mixed passive haemagglutination (MPHA) (Anti-HPA-MPHA, Olympus, Tokyo). Antibodies were detected in 0Á91% (223/24 630) of the women's samples and the immunization rate was correlated with the number of pregnancies. Antibody specificity included anti-HPA-4b (49), anti-HPA-5a (three), anti-HPA-5b (168), anti-HPA-4b þ 5b (one) and anti-Nak a (CD36) (two). No alloimmunization was observed within the HPA-1, HPA-2, HPA-3 or HPA-6 systems. Among HPA-4b-or HPA-5b-negative women, 24% or 14% estimated, respectively, had antibodies and 26% (10/38) or 10% (12/ 125) of neonates, respectively, born to these mothers developed thrombocytopenia. Two neonates born to mothers having anti-HPA-4b developed generalized purpura. No cases of intracranial bleeding or death due to FMAIT were recorded. Generalized purpura due to FMAIT occurs in one in 9359 (95% CI: 1 in 77 519-1 in 2591) pregnancies solely because of HPA-4b incompatibility.

Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia in Taiwan Due to an Antibody against a Labile Component of HPA-3a (Bak)

Vox Sanguinis, 1995

We report on two siblings who developed severe neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT) due to an alloantibody against a labile component or components of the HPA-3a (Baka) antigen. The antibody reacted only with fresh, unfixed platelets by the solid-phase red cell adherence test, immunofluorescence test and mixed passive haemagglutination test. In the latter method, weakly fixed platelets also gave a weak positive reaction. Monoclonal-antibody-specific immobilization of platelet antigens and immunoblotting tests gave negative results. Our findings may possibly help to explain why in some cases of NAIT no platelet-specific antibody is demonstrable in tests with fixed or solubilized platelets.