Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis

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Educational Use Only - Embryology is an educational resource for learning concepts in embryological development, no clinical information is provided and content should not be used for any other purpose.

Introduction

Human Embryo (day 3)
Human Embryo (day 5)

This current page is a general starting point for the topic of Preimplantation Genetic Screening also called Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis. Recently with the growth in Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) or commonly known as In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), there is now a new form of prenatal diagnosis that involves genetic testing of the blastocyst before implantation. (More? Assisted Reproductive Technology)

Generally, in vitro fertilised embryos are first cultured for up to three days. By this time the conceptus is composed of 6 to 10 cells (blastomeres) from which 1 or 2 cells are then removed by a laser for genetic testing. Some studies have also removed cells, or the polar body, at earlier days following fertilisation. While other studies have collected cells from later stage (day 5) blastocyst either the trophectoderm (trophoblast) or inner cell mass (embryoblast).


This Embryology site is a developmental educational resource, it does not provide specific clinical details, you should always refer to a health professional.


Diagnosis Links: Prenatal Diagnosis | pregnancy test | amniocentesis | chorionic villus sampling | ultrasound | Alpha-Fetoprotein | Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A | Fetal Blood Sampling | Magnetic Resonance Imaging | Computed Tomography | Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing | Fetal Cells in Maternal Blood | Preimplantation Genetic Screening | Comparative Genomic Hybridization | Genome Sequencing | Neonatal Diagnosis | Category:Prenatal Diagnosis | Fetal Surgery | Classification of Diseases | Category:Neonatal Diagnosis

| Assisted Reproductive Technology | In Vitro Fertilization

Some Recent Findings

  • Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) still in search of a clinical application: a systematic review[1] "Only a few years ago the American Society of Assisted Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) and the British Fertility Society declared preimplantation genetic screening (PGS#1) ineffective in improving in vitro fertilization (IVF) pregnancy rates and in reducing miscarriage rates. A presumably upgraded form of the procedure (PGS#2) has recently been reintroduced, and is here assessed in a systematic review. PGS#2 in comparison to PGS#1 is characterized by: (i) trophectoderm biopsy on day 5/6 embryos in place of day-3 embryo biopsy; and (ii) fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) of limited chromosome numbers is replaced by techniques, allowing aneuploidy assessments of all 24 chromosome pairs. Reviewing the literature, we were unable to identify properly conducted prospective clinical trials in which IVF outcomes were assessed based on "intent to treat"."
  • Origins and rates of aneuploidy in human blastomeres[2] "The rate of maternal meiotic trisomy rose significantly with age, whereas other types of trisomy showed no correlation with age. Trisomies were mostly maternal in origin, whereas paternal and maternal monosomies were roughly equal in frequency. No examples of paternal meiotic trisomy were observed. Segmental error rates were found to be independent of maternal age."
  • Preimplantation genetic diagnosis for inherited breast cancer: first clinical application and live birth in Spain[3] "Carriers of a mutation in BRCA1/2 genes confront a high lifetime risk of breast and ovarian cancer and fifty percent probability of passing the mutation to their offspring. ...A 28-year-old BRCA1 mutation carrier (5273G>A in exon 19) with a strong maternal history of breast cancer and 2 years of infertility decided to pursue PGD to have a healthy descendent after an accurate assessment of her reproductive options. The procedure was approved by the national regulation authority and a PGD cycle was initiated. Four out of 6 embryos harbored the mutation. The two unaffected embryos were implanted in the uterus. A singleton pregnancy was achieved and a male baby was delivered at term. Consented umbilical cord blood testing confirmed the accuracy of the technique. Individualized PGD for inherited breast predisposition is feasible in the context of a multidisciplinary team."
  • Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for Huntington's disease: the experience of three European centres[4] "This study provides an overview of 13 years of experience of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for Huntington's disease (HD) at three European PGD centres in Brussels, Maastricht and Strasbourg. ... PGD workup was based on two approaches: (1) direct testing of the CAG-triplet repeat and (2) linkage analysis using intragenic or flanking microsatellite markers of the HTT gene. In total, 257 couples had started workup and 174 couples (70% direct testing, 30% exclusion testing) completed at least one PGD cycle. In total, 389 cycles continued to oocyte retrieval (OR). The delivery rates per OR were 19.8%, and per embryo transfer 24.8%, resulting in 77 deliveries and the birth of 90 children. We conclude that PGD is a valuable and safe reproductive option for HD carriers and couples at risk of transmitting HD."

Genetic Testing

Trisomy

Trisomy 21 karyotype cartoon

There are clinically more and more tests becoming available as we learn more about the genetic basis of some diseases. The most common diagnostic test relates to the current trend in an increasing maternal age, which has long been associated with an increase in genetic abnormalities, the most frequent of these is trisomy 21 or Down syndrome.

Links: Genetic risk maternal age | Trisomy 21

Single Gene Disorders

  • Cystic fibrosis
  • beta-thalassaemia
  • Spinal muscular atrophy
  • Sickle-cell anaemia
  • Huntington disease
  • Myotonic dystrophy type 1
  • Duchenne or Becker muscular dystrophy
  • Haemophilia
  • Fragile-X syndrome

Australia

A recent publication from NHMRC Medical Genetic Testing: information for health professionals (2010). This paper covers background information on all types of genetic tests, not just those associated with prenatal diagnosis.

Types of genetic tests

  • Somatic cell genetic testing involves testing tissue (usually cancer) for non-heritable mutations. This may be for diagnostic purposes, or to assist in selecting treatment for a known cancer.
  • Diagnostic testing for heritable mutations involves testing an affected person to identify the underlying mutation(s) responsible for the disease. This typically involves testing one or more genes for a heritable mutation.
  • Predictive testing for heritable mutations involves testing an unaffected person for a germline mutation identified in genetic relatives. The risk of disease will vary according to the gene, the mutation and the family history.
  • Carrier testing for heritable mutations involves testing for the presence of a mutation that does not place the person at increased risk of developing the disease, but does increase the risk of having an affected child developing the disease.
  • Pharmacogenetic testing for a genetic variant that alters the way a drug is metabolised. These variants can involve somatic cells or germline changes. Even if these variants are heritable (that is germline changes), the tests are usually of relevance to genetic relatives only if they are being treated with the same type of medication.


Links: NHMRC - Medical Genetic Testing: information for health professionals

USA

A new site developed by NIH "GeneTests" provides medical genetics information resources available at no cost to all interested persons. It contains educational information, a directory of genetic testing laboratories and links to other databases such as OMIM.


Links: GeneTests | Medline Plus - Genetic Testing

Ethics of Testing

Major developmental abnormalities detected early enough can be resolved far more easily than those discovered late in a pregnancy.

What are the ethical questions that are raised by prenatal testing? Future individual rights or parents rights? But what about diseases, like Huntington's, where a diagnostic test can be made but there are no current treatments for the postnatal (95% of cases adult onset) disease?

Huntington's disease

Guidelines for the molecular genetics predictive test

Recommendation 2.1 "the test is available only to individuals who have reached the age of majority."
Recommendation 7.2 "the couple requesting antenatal testing must be clearly informed that if they intend to complete the pregnancy if the fetus is a carrier of the gene defect, there is no valid reason for performing the test."

(excerpt from: IHA and the World Federation of Neurology Research Group on Huntington's Chorea. Guidelines for the molecular genetics predictive test in Huntington's disease.)

References

  1. <pubmed>24628895</pubmed>
  2. <pubmed>22195772</pubmed>
  3. <pubmed>22179695</pubmed>
  4. <pubmed>22071896</pubmed>

Reviews

<pubmed>22216843</pubmed> <pubmed>21743973</pubmed>

Articles

<pubmed>21397558</pubmed> <pubmed>20966462</pubmed> <pubmed>20966461</pubmed> <pubmed>20966460</pubmed> <pubmed>20966459</pubmed>

Journals

Search PubMed

Search Pubmed: Preimplantation Genetic Screening | Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis



Prenatal Diagnosis Terms

  • blastomere biopsy - An ART preimplantation genetic diagnosis technique carried out at cleavage stage (day 3), excluding poor quality embryos, detects chromosomal abnormalities of both maternal and paternal origin. May not detect cellular mosaicism in the embryo.
  • blastocyst biopsy - An ART preimplantation genetic diagnosis technique carried out at blastocyst stage (day 4-5), removes several trophoblast (trophoderm) cells, detects chromosomal abnormalities of both maternal and paternal origin and may detect cellular mosaicism.
  • cell-free fetal deoxyribonucleic acid - (cfDNA) refers to fetal DNA circulating and isolated from the plasma portion of maternal blood. Can be performed from GA 10 weeks as a first-tier test or as a second-tier test, with women with increased probability on combined first trimester screening offered cfDNA or diagnostic testing.
  • false negative rate - The proportion of pregnancies that will test negative given that the congenital anomaly is present.
  • false positive rate - The proportion of pregnancies that will test positive given that the congenital anomaly is absent.
  • free β human chorionic gonadotrophin - beta-hCG subunit of hCG used as a diagnostic marker for: early detection of pregnancy, Trisomy 21, spontaneous abortion, ectopic pregnancy, hydatidiform mole or choriocarcinoma.
  • multiples of the median - (MoM) A multiple of the median is a measure of how far an individual test result deviates from the median and is used to report the results of medical screening tests, particularly where the results of the individual tests are highly variable.
  • negative predictive value - The probability that a congenital anomaly is absent given that the prenatal screening test is negative.
  • Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing - (NIPT) could refer to ultrasound or other imaging techniques, but more frequently used to describe analysis of cell-free fetal DNA circulating in maternal blood.
  • polar body biopsy - (PB biopsy) An ART preimplantation genetic diagnosis technique that removes either the first or second polar body from the zygote. As these are generated by oocyte meiosis they detects chromosomal abnormalities only on the female genetics.
  • positive predictive value - The probability that a congenital anomaly is present given that the prenatal screening test is positive.
  • prenatal screening sensitivity - (detection rate) The probability of testing positive on a prenatal screening test if the congenital anomaly is present.
  • prenatal screening specificity - The probability of testing negative on a prenatal screening test if the congenital anomaly is absent.
  • quadruple test (maternal serum testing of a-fetoprotein Template:AFP, free B-hCG or total hCG, unconjugated estriol, and inhibin A) is a fetal chromosomal anomaly test usually carried out later in pregnancy (GA 14 to 20 weeks).
  • single nucleotide polymorphisms - (SNPs) the variation in a single DNA nucleotide that occurs at a specific position in the genome.
  • triple test - (maternal serum testing of a-fetoprotein Template:AFP, free B-hCG or total hCG, and unconjugated estriol) is a fetal chromosomal anomaly test usually carried out later in pregnancy (GA 14 to 20 weeks).


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Cite this page: Hill, M.A. (2024, March 28) Embryology Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis. Retrieved from https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Preimplantation_Genetic_Diagnosis

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© Dr Mark Hill 2024, UNSW Embryology ISBN: 978 0 7334 2609 4 - UNSW CRICOS Provider Code No. 00098G