Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Mikael Kubista

Publications and source records attributed to Mikael Kubista.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Quantitative real-time PCR for cancer detection: the lymphoma case.

Advances in the biologic sciences and technology are providing molecular targets for diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Lymphoma is a group of cancers with diverse clinical courses. Gene profiling opens new possibilities to classify the disease into subtypes and guide a differentiated treatment. Real-time PCR is characterized by high sensitivity, excellent precision and large dynamic range, and has become the method of choice for quantitative gene expression measurements. For accurate gene expression profiling by real-time PCR, several parameters must be considered and carefully validated. These include the use of reference genes and compensation for PCR inhibition in data normalization. Quantification by real-time PCR may be performed as either absolute measurements using an external standard, or as relative measurements, comparing the expression of a reporter gene with that of a presumed constantly expressed reference gene. Sometimes it is possible to compare expression of reporter genes only, which improves the accuracy of prediction. The amount of biologic material required for real-time PCR analysis is much lower than that required for analysis by traditional methods due to the very high sensitivity of PCR. Fine-needle aspirates and even single cells contain enough material for accurate real-time PCR analysis.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗

Properties of the reverse transcription reaction in mRNA quantification.

BACKGROUND: In most measurements of gene expression, mRNA is first reverse-transcribed into cDNA. We studied the reverse transcription reaction and its consequences for quantitative measurements of gene expression. METHODS: We used SYBR green I-based quantitative real-time PCR (QPCR) to measure the properties of reverse transcription reaction for the beta-tubulin, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, Glut2, CaV1D, and insulin II genes, using random hexamers, oligo(dT), and gene-specific reverse transcription primers. RESULTS: Experimental variation in reverse transcription-QPCR (RT-QPCR) was mainly attributable to the reverse transcription step. Reverse transcription efficiency depended on priming strategy, and the dependence was different for the five genes studied. Reverse transcription yields also depended on total RNA concentration. CONCLUSIONS: RT-QPCR gene expression measurements are comparable only when the same priming strategy and reaction conditions are used in all experiments and the samples contain the same total amount of RNA. Experimental accuracy is improved by running samples in (at least) duplicate starting with the reverse transcription reaction.

Animals↗

Determination of protolytic constants by trilinear fluorescence spectroscopy.

Protolytic equilibria often have profound effects on chemical activity, since protolytic species usually behave quite differently. It is therefore important to characterize the protolytic properties of important chemicals. Here we present a new approach to study protolytic equilibria of fluorescent species that is extremely accurate and relies on minimum assumptions. We show that by measuring 2-dimensional excitation/emission scans of samples at different pH. the 3-dimensional experimental data set, I(lambda(ex), lambda(em), C(pH)), can be unambiguously decomposed into the spectral responses of the protolytic species present as well as their concentration. The approach is demonstrated on the protolytic equilibrium of fluorescein. Although the fluorescein monoanion cannot be obtained in pure form, the spectra and concentrations of both fluorescein species, as well as the protolytic constant, are determined with excellent accuracy. The proposed method is general and can be applied not only for studies of protolytic equilibria, but on any chemical equilibria and chemical reactions involving fluorescent species.

Fluorescein↗

Kinetic Outlier Detection (KOD) in real-time PCR.

Real-time PCR is becoming the method of choice for precise quantification of minute amounts of nucleic acids. For proper comparison of samples, almost all quantification methods assume similar PCR efficiencies in the exponential phase of the reaction. However, inhibition of PCR is common when working with biological samples and may invalidate the assumed similarity of PCR efficiencies. Here we present a statistical method, Kinetic Outlier Detection (KOD), to detect samples with dissimilar efficiencies. KOD is based on a comparison of PCR efficiency, estimated from the amplification curve of a test sample, with the mean PCR efficiency of samples in a training set. KOD is demonstrated and validated on samples with the same initial number of template molecules, where PCR is inhibited to various degrees by elevated concentrations of dNTP; and in detection of cDNA samples with an aberrant ratio of two genes. Translating the dissimilarity in efficiency to quantity, KOD identifies outliers that differ by 1.3-1.9-fold in their quantity from normal samples with a P-value of 0.05. This precision is higher than the minimal 2-fold difference in number of DNA molecules that real-time PCR usually aims to detect. Thus, KOD may be a useful tool for outlier detection in real-time PCR.

Algorithms↗

A new minor groove binding asymmetric cyanine reporter dye for real-time PCR.

The minor groove binding asymmetric cyanine dye 4-[(3-methyl-6-(benzothiazol-2-yl)-2,3-dihydro- (benzo-1,3-thiazole)-2-methylidene)]-1-methyl-pyridin ium iodide (BEBO) is tested as sequence non- specific label in real-time PCR. The fluorescence intensity of BEBO increases upon binding to double-stranded DNA allowing emission to be measured at the end of the elongation phase in the PCR cycle. BEBO concentrations between 0.1 and 0.4 micro M generated sufficient fluorescence signal without inhibiting the PCR. A comparison with the commonly used reporter dye SYBR Green I shows that the two dyes behave similarly in all important aspects.

Animals↗

Quantitative real-time PCR method for detection of B-lymphocyte monoclonality by comparison of kappa and lambda immunoglobulin light chain expression.

BACKGROUND: An abnormal IgLkappa:IgLlambda ratio has long been used as a clinical criterion for non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphomas. As a first step toward a quantitative real-time PCR-based multimarker diagnostic analysis of lymphomas, we have developed a method for determination of IgLkappa:IgLlambda ratio in clinical samples. METHODS: Light-up probe-based real-time PCR was used to quantify IgLkappa and IgLlambda cDNA from 32 clinical samples. The samples were also investigated by routine immunohistochemical analysis and flow cytometry. RESULTS: Of 32 suspected non-Hodgkin lymphoma samples analyzed, 28 were correctly assigned from real-time PCR measurements assuming invariant PCR efficiencies in the biological samples. Four samples were false negatives. One was a T-cell lymphoma, one was a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and one was reanalyzed and found lymphoma-positive by in situ calibration, which takes into account sample-specific PCR inhibition. Twelve of the samples were fine-needle aspirates, and these were all correctly assigned. CONCLUSIONS: This work is a first step toward analyzing clinical samples by quantitative light-up probe-based real-time PCR. Quantitative real-time PCR appears suitable for high-throughput testing of cancers by measuring expression of tumor markers in fine-needle aspirates.

Algorithms↗

Neural cell adhesion molecule-deficient beta-cell tumorigenesis results in diminished extracellular matrix molecule expression and tumour cell-matrix adhesion.

To understand by which mechanism neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) limits beta tumour cell disaggregation and dissemination, we searched for potential downstream genes of N-CAM during beta tumour cell progression by gene expression profiling. Here, we show that N-CAM-deficient beta-cell tumorigenesis is associated with changes in the expression of genes involved in cell-matrix adhesion and cytoskeletal dynamics, biological processes known to affect the invasive and metastatic behaviour of tumour cells. The extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules emerged as the primary target, i.e. N-CAM deficiency resulted in down-regulated mRNA expression of a broad range of ECM molecules. Consistent with this result, deficient deposition of major ECM stromal components, such as fibronectin, laminin 1 and collagen IV, was observed. Moreover, N-CAM-deficient tumour cells displayed defective matrix adhesion. These results offer a potential mechanism for tumour cell disaggregation during N-CAM-deficient beta tumour cell progression. Prospective consequences of these findings for the role of N-CAM in beta tumour cell dissemination are discussed.

Animals↗