MOLECULAR-GENETICS OF HUMAN PLATELET ANTIGENS

The purpose of this article is to review the molecular genetics of hum an platelet antigens, the application of molecular biological techniqu es to detect mutations underlying polymorphisms and the importance of these techniques for clinical medicine of immune-mediated platelet des truction. Review articles, original papers and preliminary (unpublishe d) observations from our own laboratory are the main source for this a rticle. The nomenclature and phenotype frequency of the platelet alloa ntigens in different ethnic groups are described. Recent molecular bio logical advances are also reviewed. It appears that the human platelet antigen systems are due to single base pair substitutions. These muta tions create or are responsible for the loss of a target site for a re striction enzyme in one of the alleles. Thus, DNA typing by polymerase chain reaction and subsequently allele-specific restriction enzyme an alysis (PCR-ASRA) can be performed.