Gene expression analysis in pregnant women and their infants identifies unique fetal biomarkers that circulate in maternal blood.

ABSTRACT: The discovery of fetal mRNA transcripts in the maternal circulation holds great promise for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis. To identify potential fetal biomarkers, we studied whole blood and plasma gene transcripts that were common to 9 term pregnant women and their newborns but absent or reduced in the mothers postpartum. RNA was isolated from peripheral or umbilical blood and hybridized to gene expression arrays. Gene expression, paired Student's t test, and pathway analyses were performed. In whole blood, 157 gene transcripts met statistical significance. These fetal biomarkers included 27 developmental genes, 5 sensory perception genes, and 22 genes involved in neonatal physiology. Transcripts were predominantly expressed or restricted to the fetus, the embryo, or the neonate. Real-tim

SUBMITTER: Maron JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1978418 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature