‘General Hospital’ Ava AKA Denise Plot Thickens: DNA Results Explained – Ava Is A ‘Chimera’

“General Hospital” was a nail biter on Friday and Monday over the whole Ava Jerome and Denise DeMuccio [Maura West] plot line. Who wasn’t a little on edge when Lucas Jones [Ryan Carnes] opened that DNA envelope? You just knew that it was going to say that it was Ava and Sonny Corinthos [Maurice Benard] was going to be all up in her grill threatening her life.

But then Lucas read that Denise is NOT Ava but is a close relative as in immediate family. Fortunately, Delia Ryan [Ilene Kristen] was there to tell the lie that she had twins and put both up for adoption. Everyone was shocked but they had to agree that lab results don’t lie – or do they? Here’s a look at the science behind those shocking DNA results.

Organ transplants, extensive blood transfusions and stem cell infusions can all change your DNA – some in the short term and some permanently. When you have more than one set of DNA in your body, you are what’s called a “chimera.” And now that’s what Ava is. Because she received a stem cell transplant from her daughter Avery, she has both of their DNA in her body and, combined, it doesn’t exactly like hers or Avery’s but a hybrid that’s close to both.

Some people are even natural chimeras and may have one type of DNA in one organ and another in another organ. Interestingly, most women who gestated a baby retained some of their baby’s DNA for a while and both mother and child may be chimera for a while after birth. Some moms may retain that altered DNA permanently. We just don’t know it because most of us don’t need our DNA tested unless we need a transplant or some other medical crisis.

With blood transfusions, very little DNA passes to the recipient because the materials that are transfused don’t contain a lot of DNA. With organ transplants, you get what’s called microchimerism. Donor DNA fragments hang around for awhile in the organ transplanted or nearby tissues but after a month or two, these dissipate and the DNA reverts to the original structure of the person that received the transplant.

But with bone marrow, it’s a whole different story and that’s what we’ve got with the Ava Jerome/Denise DeMuccio storyline. You have to give GH show runners some kudos for putting some real science into the show. To treat Ava’s cancer with baby Avery’s stem cells, her doc Silas Clay [Michael Easton] would first use chemotherapy and radiation (which we heard them discussing) to kill off Ava’s own bone marrow and/or blood cells.

Then Silas transplanted Avery’s bone marrow stems cells through an IV. Because blood cells are produced in the bone marrow, if the doctor thoroughly killed off the recipients bone marrow, then the donor’s DNA would be most obvious and would be expressed in the blood. Cool, huh? And it’s not just blood cells that can show the wonky DNA – studies show that in about half of bone marrow transplant cases, other cells like skin and fingernail cells also showed the altered DNA.

This would back up the results of a cheek swab DNA showing up as a mismatch for Ava. But the results would be even more likely to show that Denise wasn’t Ava if they performed a blood DNA test. The DNA would be either very close to Avery’s or a hybrid of Ava and Avery’s DNA that would show her as closely related, but not an exact match to either. And that’s good enough for the cops.

And since no one but Ava, Delia and Silas know that Ava was sick and, as a result, had a stem cell transplant, they have no reason to suspect anything. It’s pretty slick all around. Granted Ava should have to pay for killing Connie, but I kind of like to see her getting one over on Sonny. Plus Denise is tons of fun. And the great thing about this plot line is how believable it is once you knows the science that makes it possible. Even if Sonny demands a second test, Ava will clear it.

Stem cell donations have even caused problems to law enforcement. An Alaska assault case showed a DNA match for a guy behind bars who couldn’t have committed the crime. The guy in jail had received a bone marrow transplant from his brother so when he was DNA tested prior to being incarcerated, the DNA that went into the police records was his brother’s. Once they figured out the guy in jail couldn’t have done the crime, cops dug in and found out about the transplant and were able to nab the real perp.

Ava too will be caught up eventually but, for now, it’s fun to have her back and we look forward to the trouble she’ll make while this new lease on life lasts!

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