Real-time PCR genotyping of human platelet alloantigens HPA-1, HPA-2, HPA-3 and HPA-5 is superior to the standard PCR-SSP method

Genotyping of the human platelet alloantigens (HPA) is useful for the diagnosis and therapy of the patients with alloimmune thrombocytopenic syndromes, such as post‐transfusion refractoriness to platelets, post‐transfusion thrombocytopenic purpura and foetomaternal alloimmune thrombocytopenia. We have developed, optimized and validated a new method for simultaneous genotyping of HPAs – HPA‐1, HPA‐2, HPA‐3 and HPA‐5 – by using the real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based on TaqMan technology. Its performances were compared to those of the standard PCR‐sequence‐specific primers (SSP) method by testing 120 DNA samples. Several discrepancies between the two methods have been observed, especially in the HPA‐3 genotyping. Evidently, the PCR‐SSP method produced several false positive results due to its technical drawbacks. Based on our comparison, we believe that the new real‐time TaqMan PCR assay for the HPA‐1, HPA‐2, HPA‐3 and HPA‐5 genotyping is faster, more reliable and reproducible, compared to the standard PCR‐SSP.