Identifying differentially expressed cell membrane proteins on fetal primitive erythroblasts and adult anucleate erythrocytes for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis

Abstract

Enriching fetal nucleated red blood cells (FNRBCs) from maternal blood for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis is still challenging. This thesis explored differentially expressed cell membrane proteins on FNRBCs and adult anucleate red blood cells (AARBCs) in order to develop an immunosorting protocol to separate FNRBCs from AARBCs. Extracted membrane proteins from the two cell types were profiled and screened for differences by surface enhanced laser desorption/ionisation time of flight mass spectrometry. Further membrane protein identification was obtained by sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, matrix assisted laser desorption/iosination time of flight/time of flight tandem mass spectrometry, and database search. Several unique and common membrane proteins to FNRBCs and AARBCs were identified. Band 3 which is unique to AARBCs contain extracullular domains is considered to be potential antigens for the development of monoclonal antibody to separate these two types of cells, hence improve the enrichment of FNRBCs from maternal blood for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis.