# Patent

## Title
Oligonucleotide probes for the genomic typifying of erythrocyte systems, methods and relative diagnostic kits

## Abstract

The invention relates to oligonucleotide probes for the genomic typifying of erythrocyte systems, relative methods and diagnostic kits.

## Background
The present invention relates to specific oligonucleotide probes to be used in genomic typifying methods of erythrocyte systems and the relative diagnostic kits.
The typifying of erythrocyte antigenic systems is traditionally effected with agglutination methods in liquid phase or solid phase using commercial polyclonal or monoclonal antiserums. This technique is simple, can be applied in all laboratories and has an appropriate sensitivity and specificity in clinical use for most cases.
Agglutination tests, however, have various limitations mainly linked to the difficulty in evaluating the antigenic asset in some particularly risky conditions. These are mainly: a) the typifying of polytransfused immunized subjects; b) the identification of a fetus at the risk of hemolytic disease of newborn due to the presence of maternal antibodies; c) the determination of weak variants; d) the determination of zygosity for the RhD antigen; e) the determination of null phenotypes for erythrocyte antigens.
Furthermore, the use of agglutination techniques implies high costs in the case of mass screening in order to find negative donors for high incidence erythrocyte antigens. For some of these systems, the availability of commercial typifying reagents is extremely limited or non-existent.
One of the main advantages of DNA-based techniques is independence of reagents as the typifying serums are substituted by oligonucleotides which can be chemically synthesized at a low cost.
For this reason, various techniques based on DNA analysis have been developed for the typifying of erythrocyte systems on a molecular scale.
In particular, for the genotyping of erythrocyte antigenic systems, the most common techniques used in immunohematology are PCR-RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism) and PCR-SSP (Sequence-Specific-Primers). New methods have recently been developed for the study of twenty-eight of the twenty-nine erythrocyte systems whose sequence is known, such as, for example, PCR-ELISA (for RHD, RHCE, Kell, Duffy and Kidd antigenic systems), PCR real-time (for Kidd and Dombrock antigenic systems) and the micro-array technology. Although this development provides a fundamental support in immunohematology laboratories and in the field of transfusion medicine, most of the techniques currently available are unsuitable for wide-scale analysis, are relatively slow and require sophisticated and costly equipment.
Present-day new technologies appear to be aiming at automation and simplification and new instruments are modified to accelerate the process and maximize data production.
This latter concept is descriptive of multiplex flow cytometry dosages based on microspheres. By the conjugation of various purified Ag or oligonucleotide probes with distinct sets of fluorescent microspheres, extremely efficient analysis systems can be obtained, which allow numerous analytes to be taken from a single sample. The quantification exploits the multiparametric resolutive potential of flow cytometry and the capacity of processing systems of digital signals which process the thousands of fluorescent signals generated by the microspheres (Kellar, K. L., 2002; Kettman J R et al. 1998).
The microspheres consist of synthetic polymers and are characterized by a different fluorescence intensity. Various commercial sources of fluorescent microspheres are available such as Bangs Laboratories (Fishers, Ind.), Duke Scientific (Palo Alto, Calif.), Luminex Corporation (Austin, Tex.), Polysciences (Warrington, Pa.), Seradyn (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Spherotech (Libertyville, Ill.) which offer microspheres with various dimensions and fluorescence characteristics.
Luminex Corporation, for example, produces 100 microspheres with different fluorescence intensities created by the incorporation of various ratios of two fluorochromes which emit at different wave-lengths and are measured by means of different detectors (Fulton R. J. et al., 1997). A compact flow cytometer (Luminex 100) has been recently developed with two laser sources designed for the detection of microspheres and fluorescence quantification and an array of 100 coloured microspheres has been produced with fluoro-holes which emit at 658 and 712 nm after stimulation with a 635 nm red diode laser to complement the laser system of the cytometer. (Spain M. et al., 2001; Earley M C et al., 2002). This Multiple Analyte Profiling system (LabMAPTM) has been used for the multiplex analysis of various single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) (Ye F. et al., 2001; Colinas R J et al., 2000; Dunbar S A et al., 2000). SNP are the most abundant variability source in the human genome and are consequently important for identifying the specific loci of particular pathologies or susceptibility of a person towards a particular disease or pharmacological therapy (Kellar K. L., 2003).
SNP also represent the molecular base of the polymorphisms of many antigenic systems such as, for example, the Kidd system, which is one of the main antigenic systems of human erythrocytes (Olives B. et al., 1997).
The Kidd erythrocyte system is defined by two specific alleles, Jka and Jkb (Irshaid N M et al., 1998). The polymorphism Jka/Jkb consists in the substitution of a single nucleotide which determines an amino acidic substitution (Asp280Asn) at the level of the fourth extracellular loop of the Kidd glycoprotein. The Kidd locus (Jka, Jkb allele), localized on the 18q11-q12 chromosome, encodes an integral membrane glycoprotein which carries the urea through the erythrocyte membrane and which is expressed at the level of the endothelial cells of the vasa recta in the kidney (Irshaid N M et al., 1998). The hereditariness of Jka and Jkb is codominant. There is also a Kidd “null” phenotype (Jk(a−b−)), which derives from different genetic alterations (Irshaid N M, 200 ref. 15), which makes erythrocytes resistant to 2 M urea lysis (Sidoux-Walter F., 2000; Lucien N. et al., 1998; 2002; Irshaid N M, 2002 ref. 13).
Anti-Kidd antibodies, often difficult to detect, represent a serious risk in the transfusion field. They have been involved in immediate hemolytic transfusions, serious and at times fatal, and in numerous delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions. These latter reactions can be serious and induce oligouria, renal problems which can sometimes lead to death. These specificities are often present together with others and have the characteristic of rapidly declining at low concentrations in the plasma and are therefore difficult to identify. It is estimated that about a third of delayed hemolytic reactions are caused by antibodies towards Kidd antigens.
Finally, the different frequency of the alleles of the Kidd gene in different populations can more easily lead to the production of specific antibodies if the donor and recipient belong to different ethnic groups.
When compatible donors are necessary for subjects with antibodies, the determination of the JK phenotype by means of serological methods becomes determinant in blood donors.
In view of what is specified above, there is an evident demand for new biotechnological instruments for the genomic typifying of erythrocyte systems which overcome the limits of the techniques currently adopted.
The authors of the present invention have now identified specific oligonucleotide probes which, when suitable modified, once conjugated to a solid support, such as for example an array of fluorescent microspheres, can be advantageously used for genomic typifying. The appropriate modification of the oligonucleotide probes is such as to allow their conjugation to the solid support.
In particular, the authors have developed a rapid and economic genomic erythrocyte typifying method and a relative diagnostic kit, which utilizes the probes according to the invention conjugated to fluorescent microspheres and which does not have the disadvantages of the known art.
The above method according to the invention is, in fact, based on a single amplification reaction followed by hybridization which makes it suitable for clinical typifying and also the typifying of populations. A single person can handle up to a maximum of 96 samples in a single operating session and two sessions can be carried out in the same day. By using the method according to the invention, for each determination, there is a considerable saving in terms of reagent costs and time (10 times lower with respect to other standard methods such as PCR).
From an applicative point of view, the method is particularly advantageous for the wide-scale typifying of blood samples as it facilitates the obtaining of typified or rare blood for alloimmunized patients and for subjects belonging to ethnic minorities.
More particularly, during the present study, after identifying the Kidd polymorphism at the level of the Jka and Jkb alleles, the authors designed oligonucleotide probes capable of hybridizing specifically with the Jka and Jkb alleles. These probes have advantages in terms of specificity and efficiency in the hybridization process.
The advantageous characteristics of the oligonucleotide probes identified by the authors of the present invention are as follows: the central localization of the polymorphism; the difference between the probes of a single nucleotide; a balanced ratio between the number of guanine and cytosine bases and the number of thymine and adenine bases to avoid circularization phenomena and/or the formation of loops.
The authors then developed and tested a rapid, accurate and efficient method for the determination of the polymorphism relating to the Kidd erythrocyte system. This method avails of the DNA target amplified via PCR by means of specific primers containing the SNP of the Kidd locus and the synthetic capture oligonucleotide probes according to the invention. The method according to the present invention was tested and validated on 200 subjects demonstrating that the method is sound in its capacity of accurately revealing the Kidd SNP and is tolerant with respect to the quantity, quality and source of material to be typified.
An object of the present invention therefore relates to oligonucleotide probes amino-modified at the 5′ end characterized in that they have a sequence length ranging from 16 to 20 nucleotides, preferably 18 nucleotides, said sequence being characterized in that it comprises in the centre, the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) specific for the alleles belonging to a gene responsible for erythrocyte typifying and hybridizing with said polymorphic alleles. The above gene is selected from the group which consists of the following erythrocyte systems: Kidd (JK), Rh, MNS, Duffy (FY), Kell (KEL), Lutheran (LU), Diego (DI), YT, XG, Scianna (SC), Dombrock (DO), Colton (CO), Landsteiner-Wiener (LW), Hh (H), Gerbich (GE), Cromer (CROM), Indian (IN), John Milton Hagen (JMH) and Ii (I).
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the gene responsible for erythrocyte typifying is the Kidd gene and the amino-modified oligonucleotide probes (AmC12 modification at the 5′ end) have the following sequences:










a) 5′-AmAGT AGA TGT CCT CAA ATG-3′




 



b) 5′-AmAGT AGA TGT TCT CAA ATG-3′






and the sequences complementary thereto.

More specifically, the probe a) is specific for the Jka allele of the Kidd gene, whereas the probe b) is specific for the JKb allele. The probes according to the present invention can be conjugated with a microparticle or set of microparticles marked with at least one fluorescent substance. The probes are preferably conjugated with a specific microsphere of the set supplied by Luminex Corporation. The genomic erythrocyte typifying preferably takes place by means of multiplex analysis with the Luminex LabMAP technique.
A further object of the present invention relates to microparticles, preferably microspheres, marked with at least one fluorescent substance having carboxylic groups on the surface, characterized in that they are conjugated with the probes as defined above. The fluorescent microspheres used are preferably those of Luminex.
Another object of the present invention relates to the use of the oligonucleotide probes defined above for the genomic erythrocyte identification and typifying of at least one single nucleotide polymorphism of the blood group in heterozygote and homozygote individuals. The genomic erythrocyte typifying relates to an erythrocyte system which can be selected from the group consisting of JK, Rh, MNS FY, KEL, LU, DI, YT, XG, SC, DO, CO, LW, H, GE, CROM, IN, JMH and I.
The present invention also relates to microparticles marked with at least one fluorescent substance having carboxylic groups on the surface, characterized in that they are conjugated with the probes as defined above.
Yet another object of the present invention relates to a method for the genomic erythrocyte identification and typifying of at least one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the blood group in heterozygote and homozygote individuals, comprising the following phases:
a) extraction of the DNA from a biological sample;
b) amplification via PCR of the gene comprising the single nucleotide polymorphism of the erythrocyte system to be analyzed by means of specific primers of which at least one is marked in 5′ with biotin to obtain biotinylated PCR products (the biotinylation is preferably effected only at the level of the primer forward);

c) conjugation of the oligonucleotide probes as defined above with a microparticle or a set of microparticles marked with at least one fluorescent substance, the fluorescent microparticles are preferably of Luminex Corporation;

d) hybridization of the biotinylated PCR products of phase b) with the conjugated products of phase c) and detection with the addition of streptavidine-phycoerythrin;

e) detection of the fluorescence preferably by means of the LabMAPTM system.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the single nucleotide polymorphism is the polymorphism of the Kidd blood group. The primers of phase b) preferably have the following sequences:









i)
Forward 5′-CAT GCT GCC ATA GGA TCA TTGC-3′




(preferably with BioTeg biotinylation at the



5′-end)


 


ii)
Reverse 5′-GAG CCA GGA GGT GGG TTT GC-3′;






and the oligonucleotide probes of phase c) have the following sequences:












iii)
5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT CCT CAA ATG-3′;




 



iv)
5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT TCT CAA ATG-3′;






or the sequences complementary thereto. AmC12 indicates the amino-modified 5′ end followed by a chain with 12 carbon atoms as spacer element at the 5′ end and the bases in bold type indicate the single nucleotide polymorphism.

The present invention also relates to a diagnostic kit for the genomic erythrocyte typifying of at least one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the blood group in heterozygote and homozygote individuals, comprising the following components:
a) a set of primers for amplification by PCR of the gene comprising the single nucleotide polymorphism of the erythrocyte system;
b) oligonucleotide probes as defined above, conjugated with a microparticle or a set of microparticles marked with at least one fluorescent substance, said probes being capable of hybridizing with said single nucleotide polymorphism.
In a preferred embodiment of the kit according to the invention, the single nucleotide polymorphism of the blood group is Kidd. In this specific case, the primers of phase a) of the kit according to the invention have the following sequences:









i)
Forward 5′-CAT GCT GCC ATA GGA TCA TTGC-3′




(preferably with BioTeg biotinylation at the



5′-end)


 


ii)
Reverse 5′-GAG CCA GGA GGT GGG TTT GC-3′;






and the oligonucleotide probes of phase b) have the following sequences:












iii)
5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT CCT CAA ATG-3′;




 



iv)
5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT TCT CAA ATG-3′;






or the sequences complementary thereto.

The present invention will now be described for illustrative but non-limiting purposes, according to its preferred embodiment, with particular reference to the enclosed tables.


EXAMPLE 1
Genomic Typifying of the Kidd Erythrocyte System by Means of the Luminex System with Allele-Specific Oligonucleotide Probes Conjugated with an Array of Fluorescence Microspheres
Materials and Methods
Blood Samples
7 ml of peripheral blood of 200 healthy donors coming from the Blood Collection Centre of the Milan Polyclinic were collected in test-tubes containing a solution of EDTA as anticoagulant. The samples are preserved at −20° C. until the moment of treatment. Aliquots of 200 μl of whole blood were used for DNA extraction with a DNA purification kit (QIAamp, Qiagen, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada), according to the instructions of the producer. All the samples had a known serological typifying effected using standard agglutination methods for both of the antigens. The following known blood samples were tested: 50 samples Jk(a+b−); 50 samples Jk(a−b+) and 100 samples Jk(a+b+).
Reagents
The polystyrene microspheres COOH Xmap Multi-Analyte were purchased from Luminex Corporation (Austin, Tex., USA).
The microspheres (5.6 μm in diameter) have functional carboxylic surface groups for the chemical cross-link with different analytes which, for the purposes of the present invention, are oligodeoxyribonucleotide probes amino-modified (AmC12) at the 5′ end.
The polystyrene microspheres were classified by flow cytometry thanks to the emission profile in the orange/red wave-length of each set of microspheres.
100 microspheres can be detected as each set incorporates colouring substances in an accurate ratio between each other which emit at different wave-lengths (red and infrared) allowing them to be distinguished. Each distinct set of microspheres, in fact, has exclusive marking characteristics and its own fluorescence intensity distribution which can be analyzed by the detection instrument. In this study, regions Nr. 64, 76, 72 and 73 were used. All the different sets of spheres numbered from 1 to 100 derive from the same starting material and differ only in the quantities of marking dyes present for the classification. The selection of the regions used was effected following the indications of the producer.
2-N-morpholine ethanesulfonic acid (MES), 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodi-imide hydrochloride (EDC), SAPE (100× stock 0.5 mg/ml Streptavidine-phycoerythrin) were obtained from Sigma, Pierce and One Lambda, Inc. respectively. The SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) and tetramethyl ammonium chloride (TMAC) and the washing buffer (SSPE-Triton X-100 Sigma) were purchased from Bio-RAD and Sigma, respectively.
Probe Design
All the oligonucleotides used for the covalent association with the microspheres were modified at the 5′ end during the synthesis, using Amino-Modifier (AmC12-Qiagen Operon-Germania). The polymorphism of the groups Jka and Jkb is localized at the centre of the probe sequence.
The probes used are 18 nucleotides long and were designed on the basis of the sequences filed having the filing numbers GeneBankAccession L36121 and PUBMED 7989337:










Probe Jka,




5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT CCT CAA ATG-3′



 



Probe Jkb,



5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT TCT CAA ATG-3′



 



Positive control probe (CP),



5′-AmC12AGG AAG CCA AGA TCT CAA-3′;






Non-sense probe (NS), 5′-AmC12CGT GGA TTT CTT CAG AGG-3′;

The positive control probe (CP) was designed on the basis of the sequence filed having the following filing numbers: GeneBankAccession AF046026 and PUBMED 9734652. The amplification was effected of the intron of 217 base pairs localized in the JK gene in nucleotide position 811-812. The intronic sequences are identical in all the samples regardless of the phenotype.
The negative control was designed by introducing random variations in the sequence of the specific probe for Jka.
Biotinylated oligonucleotides (ODN) were used, complementary to the alleles Jka, Jkb, and to the controls for testing the conjugation efficiency of the oligonucleotide probes in turn modified at 5′ with biotin. The fluorescent reagents were added and mixed to form a cocktail for multiplex analyses.
Conjugation of Oligonucleotide Probes with Microspheres
The four different oligonucleotide probes modified at 5′ (AmC12) were conjugated in separate reactions with different classifications of carboxylated microspheres.
Each probe and set of carboxylated microspheres containing 7.5×106 microspheres were micro-centrifuged at 10,000 rpm for 2 minutes, the pellet was removed and resuspended in 75 μl of MES 0.1 M buffer, at pH 4.5. 0.3 nanomoles of amino-modified oligonucleotide probes were subsequently added to the mixture.
An aqueous solution of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodi-imide HCl (EDC; 10 mg/ml) was then added to the mixture of microspheres/oligonucleotides and the resulting mixture was incubated at room temperature for 30 minutes in the dark. The addition of EDC and the incubation were repeated another time. After the total incubation of 1 hour, the microspheres were washed with 1.5 ml of Tween-20 at 0.02%. The washing solution was removed by micro-centrifugation, the washing was repeated with 1.5 ml of SDS at 0.1% and the final mixture was resuspended in 100 μl of TE, at pH 8 and kept in the dark at 4° C. Before use, the spheres were brought to room temperature for 5 minutes.
The conjugation efficiency was tested by hybridizing the conjugated microspheres with a molar excess of complementary biotinylated oligonucleotide (from 5 to 200 fentomoles) at a hybridization temperature of 45° C. Effective conjugation reactions produce microspheres with an average fluorescence intensity (MFI) ranging from 9000 to 15000.
PCR Amplification
The amplification comprises a segment of 380 bp which includes the polymorphism Jk in the nucleotide position 844 and the intronic region of 217 base pairs (bp) localized between the nucleotides 811-812.
The following primers were used for the PCR amplification, according to the instructions of the protocol described by Nidal M. Irshaid et al. (ref. 11 British Journal of Haematology 1998 102, 1010-1014), with modifications:










JK-781-F3 (forward)




5′-(BioTEG)-CAT GCT GCC ATA GGA TCA T-3′



 



JK-943-R3 (reverse)



5′-GAG CCA GGA GGT GGG TTT GC-3′.






The Forward primer was marked at the 5′ end with biotin.
The PCR was effected with 1.2 pmol of primer, 50-100 ng of genomic DNA, 2 nmol of dNTPs and 0.5 U of Taq (Perkin Elmer), in the buffer supplied. The final reaction volume is equal to 20 μl.
The PCRGene Amp 9600 system (Perkin Elmer Cetus) was used for the thermal cycles under the following operating conditions per cycle: 10 minutes of initial denaturation of the DNA at 96° C., followed by 35 cycles at 94° C. for 30 seconds, 58° C. for 40 seconds, 72° C. for 40 seconds, with a final elongation phase at 72° C. for 2 minutes. The DNA fragments obtained have a length equal to 380 base pairs and were analyzed and verified by electrophoresis on agarose gel at 2%.
Hybridization
After the PCR amplification, 4 μl of each reaction were transferred to micro-titration plates with 96 cavities and diluted with 17 μl of TE and denatured under heat at 99° C. for 10 minutes in a preheated Thermal Cycler. The denaturation phase was blocked with a lump of ice. The hybridization of the biotinylated PCR products with the four classifications of spheres conjugated with ODN, was effected in a buffer containing tetramethylammonium chloride (TMAC) (TMAC 1.5×4.5 M, SDS 0.15%, Tris-HCl 75 mM pH 8, EDTA 6 mM ph 8).
33 μl of a hybridization solution containing a mixture of 5,000 spheres of each set conjugated with the probe in a total reaction volume of 50 μl, were added to each sample. The samples were mixed and immediately transferred to the amplifier plate preheated to 45° C. The hybridization was carried out at 45° C. for 15 minutes and the samples were diluted to 150 μl with 100 μl of washing buffer (6×SSPET).
The washing phases were carried out at room temperature by means of centrifugation (2,800 rpm for 5 minutes) with the elimination of the supernatant using a vacuum micropump. The samples were washed three times.
The spheres were incubated for 5 minutes at 45° C. with 50 μl of a fresh solution of 1×SAPE (0.5 mg/l streptavidine-R-phycoerythrin) in 1×TMAC (TMAC 3M, SDS 0.11, Tris-HCl 50 mM, pH 8, EDTA 4 mM pH 8). At the end of the incubation, 100 μl of washing buffer were rapidly added to each cavity, the spheres were then pelletized by centrifugation and the supernatant removed. Each sample was subsequently resuspended in 80 μl of washing buffer (Sheath Fluid supplied by Luminex Corporation). In order to have better results, it is better to read the samples as soon as possible. If the plate cannot be read immediately, the samples can be preserved at 4° C. in the dark for up to a maximum of 24 hours.
Data Acquisition and Analysis
The samples were analyzed using a LAB ScanTM100 (Luminex Corporation, Austin, Tex.).
The instrument is equipped with two laser sources of which a 635 nm diode laser to stimulate the fluorochromes classified in red and infrared and a 532 laser to stimulate the orange phycoerythrin (PE) reporter fluorochrome.
Each set of spheres has a single fluorescence intensity distribution which can be read from the instrument.
Two parameters, the fluorescence count and intensity (IF) were monitored for each data acquisition.
The count should be higher than 100. The fluoresence intensity (IF) represents a PE signal revealed inside the spheres counted. The IF for the positive control probe indicates the optimum sample quantity and/or quality and the correct activation of all the hybridization phases.
The acquisition for each single sample should normally be completed in less than a minute.
Data Calculation
The fluorescence intensity (MFI—median fluorescence intensity) generated by the Luminex software represents the MFI of each microsphere (or probe linked to the microsphere) for each sample. The positive percentage value for each specific probe is calculated as the ratio between the MFI value of the Jka or Jkb probe and the MFI value of the positive control probe multiplied by 100 according to the following formula:

Positive value %=100×FI(n. probe)−FI(negative control probe)/FI(positive control probe)−FI(negative control probe)

The MFI values are used in the formula, from each of which the MFI value generated from the negative control probe for each sample is subtracted.
The positive reaction is defined as the percentage of positive values for the probe higher than the pre-established cutoff value for the probe itself, the negative reaction as the percentage of positive values lower than the cutoff value.
Positive Control
From the data analysis of 200 samples tested, the MFI value of the positive control, corrected by the negative control value (MFI positive control probe-MFI negative control probe) proves to have an average MFI having a value of 685.5 with a standard deviation of 179.79.
Samples having a positive control fluorescence signal (MFI) which is higher or equal to a value of 506, are considered reliable.
Cutoff Value
The cutoff value was pre-established for each probe (Jka and Jkb) using a panel of 200 known serological typifying samples of which 100 samples with a heterozygote asset Jk(a+b+) and 50 samples with a homozygote asset, respectively, for each allele.
The cutoff value for each allele was obtained from the difference in the lowest percentage value (calculated as described above) obtained in positive samples for the allele considered and the highest percentage value obtained in negative samples for the allele considered. The half value thus obtained represents the percentage value which defines the reference cutoff for the two alleles considered Jka and Jkb.
The following cutoff values were obtained from the data analysis (see tables 1, 2 and 3 enclosed):
the cutoff value for the probe Jka proves to be equal to 10%; the lowest percentage value in positive samples for the allele Jka (see table 1) proves to be equal to 29.5%; the highest percentage value in negative samples (see table 3) proves to be equal to 9.8%;
the cutoff value for the probe Jkb proves to be equal to 33%; the lowest percentage value (V %) in positive samples for the allele Jkb(see table 1) proves to be equal to 95.1%; the highest percentage value in negative samples (see table 2) proves to be equal to 29.9%








TABLE 1







Heterozygote samples Jk (a+ b+)



















MFI

MFI

MFI

V %
V %




probe

probe

probe

probe
probe


Nr.

Jka

Jkb

CP
CN
Jka
Jkb



















1
348
330
942.5
924.5
785.5
767.5
18
43.0
120.5


2
368
352
904
888
704
688
16
51.2
129.1


3
325
295.5
737
707.5
625
595.5
29.5
49.6
118.8


4
364.5
330.5
866.5
832.5
712.5
678.5
34
48.7
122.7


5
356
334.5
953
931.5
765.5
744
21.5
45.0
125.2


6
337
324
855.5
842.5
707.5
694.5
13
46.7
121.3


7
417
346
988.5
917.5
794
723
71
47.9
126.9


8
368.5
349.5
892
873
711.5
692.5
19
50.5
126.1


9
211
162
563
514
389
340
49
47.6
151.2


10
528
517
1266
1255
1039
1028
11
50.3
122.1


11
424
367
1004
947
827
770
57
47.7
123.0


12
217.5
159.5
358.5
300.5
301
243
58
65.6
123.7


13
176
125
446
395
285
234
51
53.4
168.8


14
244.5
185.5
624
565
505
446
59
41.6
126.7


15
402.5
341.5
979.5
918.5
744
683
61
50.0
134.5


16
367
320
961.5
914.5
712
665
47
48.1
137.5


17
381.5
313
1148
1079.5
1130
1061.5
68.5
29.5
101.7


18
337
289.5
837.5
790
727.5
680
47.5
42.6
116.2


19
425
331.5
838.5
745
790
696.5
93.5
47.6
107.0


20
353.5
284.5
805
736
747
678
69
42.0
108.6


21
441
399
864.5
822.5
633.5
591.5
42
67.5
139.1


22
356
305
886
835
713.5
662.5
51
46.0
126.0


23
322
291
877
846
776
745
31
39.1
113.6


24
340
301
876.5
837.5
753.5
714.5
39
42.1
117.2


25
350.5
309
852
810.5
692
650.5
41.5
47.5
124.6


26
348
319
856.5
827.5
724
695
29
45.9
119.1


27
318
270
796
748
567.5
519.5
48
52.0
144.0


28
408
319
897
808
798
709
89
45.0
114.0


29
388
350
891.5
853.5
627
589
38
59.4
144.9


30
256
211
618.5
573.5
580
535
45
39.4
107.2


31
404
341
898.5
835.5
752
689
63
49.5
121.3


32
408.5
354.5
808.5
754.5
558
504
54
70.3
149.7


33
409
363
972.5
926.5
785
739
46
49.1
125.4


34
448.5
410
893
854.5
641
602.5
38.5
68.0
141.8


35
524.5
446.5
1044.5
966.5
832.5
754.5
78
59.2
128.1


36
582.5
494.5
1291
1203
1089
1001
88
49.4
120.2


37
654.5
571.5
1395
1312
1073
990
83
57.7
132.5


38
581
518
1219
1156
1036
973
63
53.2
118.8


39
659
548
1317.5
1206.5
1047
936
111
58.5
128.9


40
526.5
410.5
1009.5
893.5
958
842
116
48.8
106.1


41
588
506
1185.5
1103.5
985
903
82
56.0
122.2


42
520
428
1015
923
1002
910
92
47.0
101.4


43
644
523
1383
1262
1257
1136
121
46.0
111.1


44
393
271.5
1190
1068.5
1000
878.5
121.5
30.9
121.6


45
597
431
1175
1009
951
785
166
54.9
128.5


46
682
526
1056
900
918
762
156
69.0
118.1


47
553
457
1176
1080
953
857
96
53.3
126.0


48
519
370.5
1191
1042.5
937
788.5
148.5
47.0
132.2


49
492
398
947
853
835
741
94
53.7
115.1


50
593
497.5
1254
1158.5
1110
1014.5
95.5
49.0
114.2


51
563
503
1167
1107
980.5
920.5
60
54.6
120.3


52
565
505
1155
1095
1011.5
951.5
60
53.1
115.1


53
375
284.5
854.5
764
666
575.5
90.5
49.4
132.8


54
395
281
935.5
821.5
759
645
114
43.6
127.4


55
397
296.5
916.5
816
710
609.5
100.5
48.6
133.9


56
330.5
265.5
807
742
697
632
65
42.0
117.4


57
341
265
839
763
679
603
76
43.9
126.5


58
338.5
311.5
828.5
801.5
658
631
27
49.4
127.0


59
631
387.5
1045
801.5
769
525.5
243.5
73.7
152.5


60
392
260.5
805.5
674
661
529.5
131.5
49.2
127.3


61
368
226.5
832.5
691
653
511.5
141.5
44.3
135.1


62
467
296
945.5
774.5
696.5
525.5
171
56.3
147.4


63
504.5
333.5
1035
864
893
722
171
46.2
119.7


64
434
312.5
973
851.5
713
591.5
121.5
52.8
144.0


65
331.5
281.5
852
802
711
661
50
42.6
121.3


66
433.5
391
735
692.5
641.5
599
42.5
65.3
115.6


67
354.5
229.5
933.5
878.5
747
692
55
43.3
127.0


68
385
336
939
890
759
710
49
47.3
125.4


69
411
353.5
950
892.5
741.5
684
57.5
51.7
130.5


70
418.5
342.5
920
844
754
678
76
50.5
124.5


71
396
322
934
860
742
668
74
48.2
128.7


72
347
296
863
812
729
678
51
43.7
119.8


73
344
310
865
831
722
688
34
45.1
120.8


74
351
308
865.5
822.5
744.5
701.5
43
43.9
117.2


75
358
326
898.5
866.5
730
698
32
46.7
124.1


76
323
284
848.5
809.5
684.5
645.5
39
44.0
125.4


77
385
339.5
972
926.5
710
664.5
45.5
51.1
139.4


78
495
406
1032.5
943.5
816
727
89
55.8
129.8


79
389.5
297.5
706.5
614.5
535.5
443.5
92
67.1
138.6


80
399.5
305.5
903.5
809.5
685.5
591.5
94
51.6
136.9


81
405.5
310.5
852
757
718
623
95
49.8
121.5


82
414
328
971
885
809
723
86
45.4
122.4


83
383.5
307.5
963
887
760.5
684.5
76
44.9
129.6


84
425
345
794.5
714.5
713
633
80
54.5
112.9


85
368
290.5
899
821.5
804.5
727
77.5
40.0
113.0


86
395
306.5
639
550.5
480
391.5
88.5
78.3
140.6


87
415
332
775
692
687.5
604.5
83
54.9
114.5


88
402
318
699.5
615.5
674
590
84
53.9
104.3


89
365
277
876
788
714
626
88
44.2
125.9


90
422.5
342.5
921
841
779.5
699.5
80
49.0
120.2


91
440
359
903
822
729.5
648.5
81
55.4
126.8


92
430
333
782
685
788.5
691.5
97
48.2
99.1


93
369.5
250.5
675
556
518
399
119
62.8
139.3


94
416
320.5
836
740.5
874
778.5
95.5
41.2
95.1


95
430
297
942
809
745
612
133
48.5
132.2


96
456.5
391.5
755
690
516
451
65
86.8
153.0


97
427.5
354.5
852
779
553.5
480.5
73
73.8
162.1


98
402.5
348.5
909
855
672
618
54
56.4
138.3


99
379.5
338.5
927
886
723
682
41
49.6
129.9


100
431.5
386.5
977
932
829.5
784.5
45
49.3
118.8




















TABLE 2







Samples Jk (a+ b−)
MFI probe
MFI probe
V % probe
V % probe












Nr
MFI probe Jka
Jkb
CP
Jka
Jkb















1
591
95
863.5
68.4
11.0


2
590
108
958
61.6
11.3


3
556.5
74.5
754
73.8
9.9


4
556
84
835
66.6
10.1


5
550.5
79
815.5
67.5
9.7


6
495
84.5
792
62.5
10.7


7
591
111
892.5
66.2
12.4


8
547
79
755
72.5
10.5


9
610
99
920
66.3
10.8


10
475
85
774
61.4
11.0


11
510
93
736.5
69.2
12.6


12
523
102
761.5
68.7
13.4


13
504
87
732
68.9
11.9


14
463
73
697.5
66.4
10.5


15
559
95
786.5
71.1
12.1


16
545.5
114
748.5
72.9
15.2


17
556
127
1190.5
46.7
10.7


18
777
166.5
1524
51.0
10.9


19
397
68.5
611
65.0
11.2


20
743
130
978
76.0
13.3


21
811.5
154.5
1148
70.7
13.5


22
766.5
142.5
1074.5
71.3
13.3


23
687
116
982.5
69.9
11.8


24
729
137
1093
66.7
12.5


25
666
127
1044
63.8
12.2


26
231
63.5
367
62.9
17.3


27
647
105
547.5
123.1
19.2


28
675.5
120
889
76.0
13.5


29
454
97
763
59.5
12.7


30
551
90.5
774
71.2
11.7


31
434.5
80
660.5
65.8
12.1


32
468.5
110.5
597
78.5
18.5


33
420
71.5
566
74.2
12.6


34
496.5
87
639.5
77.6
13.6


35
511.5
92
809.5
63.2
11.4


36
594.5
88.5
802.5
74.1
11.0


37
434.5
113
710
61.2
15.9


38
688
86
649
106.0
13.3


39
566.5
92
798
71.0
11.5


40
574.5
239
800
71.8
29.9


41
584
87
588
99.3
14.8


42
592
102
816
72.5
12.5


43
533
108
852
62.6
12.7


44
617
108
888.5
69.4
12.2


45
487
66
469
103.8
14.1


46
566
100
784.5
72.1
12.7


47
625.5
116.5
857.5
72.9
13.6


48
625
107
877.5
71.2
12.2


49
572.5
66
563
101.7
11.7


50
553.5
75
567.5
97.5
13.2




















TABLE 3







Samples Jk (a− b+)
MFI probe
MFI probe
V % probe
V % probe












Nr
MFI probe Jka
Jkb
CP
Jka
Jkb















1
33.5
989
613
5.5
161.3


2
6
1212
537
1.1
225.7


3
−5
1188
531
0.9
223.7


4
14.5
1173
553
2.6
212.1


5
23.5
1255.5
717
3.3
175.1


6
22
1445
694
3.2
208.2


7
24
1319
586
4.1
225.1


8
29
1590
692.5
4.2
229.6


9
28
1226
576.5
4.9
212.7


10
32
1318.5
624
5.1
211.3


11
36
1236.5
645
5.6
191.7


12
35
1377
634.5
5.5
217.0


13
30.5
1241
600
5.1
206.8


14
26.5
1149
621.5
4.3
184.9


15
25.5
1214
548
4.7
221.5


16
26
1186
504
5.2
235.3


17
12
507
243.5
4.9
208.2


18
12
741.5
393.5
3.0
188.4


19
8
1029.5
474.5
1.7
217.0


20
49
1502
713
6.9
210.7


21
46
1226.5
591.5
7.8
207.4


22
30.5
1690.5
851
3.6
198.6


23
24.5
1365
664
3.7
205.6


24
53
1493
738.5
7.2
202.2


25
36
1758.5
964.5
3.7
182.3


26
15
1235.5
573
2.6
215.6


27
21.5
1187
533.5
4.0
222.5


28
14.5
1166
395.5
3.7
294.8


29
15
1153
498
3.0
231.5


30
10
1222.5
592.5
1.7
206.3


31
28
1191
516
5.4
230.8


32
13.5
1077.5
416
3.2
259.0


33
12
1019
462
2.6
220.6


34
28
1314
500
5.6
262.8


35
15.5
1241.5
542.5
2.9
228.8


36
18.5
1227
543.5
3.4
225.8


37
20
1089.5
573
3.5
190.1


38
22
1413
568.5
3.9
248.5


39
21
1100.5
376
5.6
292.7


40
17.5
1375.5
609.5
2.9
225.7


41
27
1427.5
631
4.3
226.2


42
26
1475.5
683
3.8
216.0


43
20.5
1356.5
609.5
3.4
222.6


44
22
1198
611
3.6
196.1


45
22
1436.5
644.5
3.4
222.9


46
23
1290
553
4.2
233.3


47
34
1101
363
9.4
303.3


48
18.5
1539.5
558
3.3
275.9


49
46
1321
613
7.5
215.5


50
59.5
1506.5
605.5
9.8
248.8









BIBLIOGRAPHY


    Colinas R J, Bellisario R, Pass K A. Clinical Chemistry 2000; 46 n. 7: 996-998.
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## Claims

1. Oligonucleotide probes amino-modified at the 5′ end having a sequence length ranging from 16 to 20 nucleotides, said sequence being characterized in that it comprises, at the centre, the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the Kidd erythrocyte system which is specific for the alleleic variants of the gene coding for said polymorphism and said oligonucleotide probes hybridizing with said alleles, wherein said gene is the Kidd gene said probes having the sequence: (a) 5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT CCT CAA ATG-3′ or (b) 5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT TCT CAA ATG-3′.

2. The probes according to claim 1, said probes are conjugated with a microparticle or set of microparticles marked with at least one fluorescent substance.

3. Use of the oligonucleotide probes as defined in claim 1 for the identification and genomic erythrocyte typing of at least one single nucleotide polymorphism of the blood group in heterozygote and homozygote individuals.

4. Microparticles marked with at least one fluorescent substance having carboxylic groups on the surface, characterized in that they are conjugated with the probes as defined in claim 1.

5. A method for the identification of and typing for at least one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the blood group in heterozygote and homozygote individuals, comprising the following phases: a) DNA extraction from a biological sample; b) amplification via PCR of the gene fragment comprising the single nucleotide polymorphism of the Kidd erythrocyte system to be analyzed by means of specific primers of which at least one is marked at the 5′ end with biotin to obtain biotinylated PCR products; c) conjugation of an oligonucleotide probe, having the sequence (i) 5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT CCT CAA ATG-3′ or (ii) 5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT TCT CAA ATG-3′ with a microparticle or a set of micro-particles marked with at least one fluorescent substance; d) hybridization of the biotinylated PCR products of phase b) with the conjugated products of phase c) and detection with the addition of streptavidine-phycoerythrin,] and e) detection of the fluorescence.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the primers of phase b) have the following sequences: i) Forward 5′-CAT GCT GCC ATA GGA TCA TTGC-3′ upsilon and Reverse 5′-GAG CCA GGA GGT GGG TTT GC-3′.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the primer I) is biotinylated at the 5′ end.

8. A diagnostic kit for the identification and genomic erythrocyte typifying of at least one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the Kidd erythrocyte system of the blood group in heterozygote and homozygote individuals, comprising the following components: a) a set of primers for amplification by PCR of the gene comprising the single nucleotide polymorphism of the Kidd erythrocyte system; and b) oligonucleotide probes having the sequences (iii) 5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT CCT CAA ATG-3′ or (iv) 5′-AmC12AGT AGA TGT TCT CAA ATG-3′, conjugated with a microparticle or a set of microparticles marked with at least one fluorescent substance, said probes being capable of hybridizing with said single nucleotide polymorphism.

9. The diagnostic kit according to claim 8, wherein the primers of have the following sequences: i) Forward 5′-CAT GCT GCC ATA GGA TCA TTGC-3′ and Reverse 5′-GAG CCA GGA GGT GGG TTT GC-3′.

10. The diagnostic kit according to claim 9 wherein the primer i) is biotinylated at the 5′.