Musculoskeletal allotransplantion is the most common form of human tissue transplantation. Unlike solid organ transplants, bone allotransplants undergo rigorous processing and are considered non-viable tissue. In this study, we propose that donor genetic material may exist in circulation after bone allotransplantation. Fifty-one female patients who received bone allotransplants from male donors were assessed. Blood plasma samples were analyzed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with dual labeled fluorogenic probes for the presence of the SRY gene on the Y chromosome. Of the total 51 patients, the SRY sequence was detected in 6 patients. Five were positive at day 1 postoperatively and negative thereafter, with the remaining patient positive at 3 months post-transplantation. Our results document, for the first time, the presence of donor DNA in the circulation of recipients after bone allotransplantation. Our findings suggest a potential new investigative tool to assess the postoperative status of bone allotransplants.

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