Comparison of real-time PCR and nested PCR for the detection of Y chromosome sequences in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with systemic sclerosis

Peripheral blood mononuclear cell microchimerism in Turkish female patients with systemic sclerosis

“…The mean age of the women at their first birth was 26.21 ± 3.8 (17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34) years in the control group, 24.92 ± 5.1 years in the dcSSc patient group and 24.11 ± 3.8 (18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33) years in the lcSSc patient group. There was no significant difference with respect to the age (12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26) in the dcSSc patients and 10 (4-24) in the lcSSc patients, which was a significant difference (p \ 0.05).…”

“…The nested-PCR technique was found to be of high sensitivity but low specificity. The relationship between Mc and the sub-types of SSc (diffuse and limited cutaneous), disease activity and organ involvement could not be shown [33]. However, in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Mc was found to be related to disease activity by the nested-PCR technique [34].…”

“…Y chromosome-specific sequences were detected in 41 of 54 female patients with SSc (76 %) by the nested-PCR technique but only in 8 patients (15 %) by the RT-PCR technique [33]. Of the 19 patients who never gave birth to a male child and did not have a history of miscarriage, Mc was detected in 2 (10 %) by RT-PCR and in 13 (68 %) by nested-PCR.…”

Microchimerism in Behçet's disease

“…Women with scleroderma are more likely than matched control subjects to have had an HLA‐compatible fetus, and Y‐chromosome‐positive cells can be found in fibrotic maternal tissue of women with scleroderma many years after delivery of a male baby . Fetal microchimerism has been proposed as an explanation for scleroderma in males and children . Young individuals, 20–40 years of age, are most commonly affected in BD.…”

“…Microchimerism indicates the presence of cells from one individual in another individual . Recently, it has been suggested that microchimerism plays a role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, including lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, and Sjögren's syndrome, and it may lead to autoimmune disease in some individuals with a permissive genetic make‐up. Autoimmune diseases in recipients of transplanted hematopoietic cells are well known.…”