Cytogenetic markers in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

Engraftment after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) can be monitored with genetic markers. Cytogenetic markers are the ones that can be studied earliest. Of 27 patients studied, 16 had a sex-mismatched donor, and in 8 cases, there were discriminative markers identified with regular Giemsa and Q-banding. In one case, there was a rather slight polymorphism of the C-bands of chromosomes #9. Thus, donors' cells were identifiable in 25 of 27 cases (93%). The markers studied easiest are the sex chromosomes in sex-mismatched BMT. Different fluorescence of the centromeric regions of chromosomes #3 and characteristic satellites of acrocentric chromosomes are rather frequent and also well suited to discriminate donors' from patients' cells. Nonprominent variabilities (fluorescence of the centromeric regions of chromosomes #4 and #6 after Q-banding), rare polymorphisms (pericentric inversions of chromosomes #1 and #9), and difficult to evaluate polymorphisms (heterochromatic regions of chromosomes #1, #9, and #16) are not very practical for the routine monitoring of engraftment after BMT.