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Invader assay for RNA quantitation.

The Invader assay is a homogeneous, isothermal, signal amplification system for the quantitative detection of nucleic acids. The assay can directly detect either DNA or RNA without target amplification or reverse transcription. It is based on the ability of Cleavase enzymes to recognize as a substrate and cleave a specific nucleic acid structure generated through the hybridization of two oligonucleotides to the target sequence. The combination of sequence-specific oligonucleotide hybridization and structure-specific enzymatic cleavage results in a highly specific assay well suited for discriminating closely related gene sequences. This includes detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms directly from genomic DNA as well as highly homologous mRNAs in closely related gene families. Because Cleavase substrate recognition is structure, and not sequence dependent, cleavage and detection can be applied to virtually any DNA or RNA sequence.

Base Sequence↗

Onchocerca volvulus: application of the polymerase chain reaction to identification and strain differentiation of the parasite.

Previous studies have demonstrated that the genome of Onchocerca volvulus contains a variable tandemly repeated DNA sequence family with a unit length of 150 bp. The variability of the 150-bp family has been exploited to develop O. volvulus strain and species specific DNA probes. Application of these DNA probes to the study of the epidemiologically most significant life cycle stages of the parasite has been confounded by several obstacles. These include the relative insensitivity of some of the DNA probes and the difficulty in releasing genomic DNA from infective larvae and skin microfilariae in a form that may be directly detected by hybridization to the probes. DNA sequence comparison of 18 known examples of the 150-bp repeat has been used to develop two populations of degenerate oligonucleotides. These oligonucleotides have been shown to support the amplification of the 150-bp repeat family from Onchocerca DNA, using the polymerase chain reaction. Both strain and species specific members of the repeat family are faithfully amplified, allowing characterization of a parasite on the basis of hybridization of the PCR amplification products to the previously developed DNA probes. This method is shown to be applicable to all diagnostically important forms of the parasite, including adults, infective larvae, and skin microfilariae. In addition, the method is capable of detecting O. volvulus infective larvae directly in extracts of blackfly vectors.

Animals↗

Analysis of carbohydrates in seized heroin using capillary electrophoresis.

Illicitly produced heroin is commonly cut with carbohydrates to increase bulk. The analysis of these solutes is important for legal and intelligence purposes. A capillary electrophoresis (CE) method was developed for the qualitative analysis of dextrose, lactose, sucrose, inositol, and mannitol in heroin exhibits. For this method, a 64 cm (55.5 cm to detector window) by 50 mum capillary was used with the Agilent Basic Anion Buffer modified to pH 12.1. This separation was performed at 25 degrees C with a voltage of 20 kV and indirect detection with 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid as the visualization reagent. The methodology is also applicable for the screening of inorganic and organic anions using indirect detection, and acidic adulterants using direct detection. For a run time of 13 min, the relative standard deviation (n = 6) of the methodology was better than 0.36% for migration times and less than 2.6% for corrected peak areas. For the analysis of carbohydrates and acidic adulterants in seized heroin, excellent agreement was obtained between CE and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Journal Article↗

Calpain III mutation analysis of a heterogeneous limb-girdle muscular dystrophy population.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of calpain III mutations in a heterogeneous limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) population. BACKGROUND: Mutations of the calpain III gene have been shown to cause a subset of autosomal recessive LGMDs. Patient populations studied to date have been primarily of French and Spanish origin, in which calpain III may cause 30% of autosomal recessive MDs. The incidence of calpain III mutations in non-French/Spanish MD patients has not been studied thoroughly. No sensitive and specific biopsy screening methods for detecting patients with abnormal calpain III protein are available. Thus, detection of patients relies on direct detection of gene mutations. METHODS: The authors studied the calpain III gene in 107 MD patient muscle biopsies exhibiting normal dystrophin. Muscle biopsy RNA was produced for each patient, and the entire calpain III complementary DNA was screened for mutations by reverse-transcriptase PCR/single-strand conformation polymorphism using three different conditions. RESULTS: The authors identified nine patients (eight unrelated) with causative mutations. Six of the seven distinct mutations identified are novel mutations and have not been described previously. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that approximately 9.2% of patients in the heterogeneous population with an LGMD diagnosis will show mutations of the calpain III gene. Interestingly, two patients were heterozygous for a single mutation at the DNA level, whereas only the mutant allele was observed at the RNA level. This suggests that there are undetectable, nondeletion mutations that ablate expression of the calpain III gene.

Adolescent↗

Effects of triiodothyronine, triiodothyroacetic acid, iopanoic acid and iodide on the thyrotropin-releasing hormone-induced thyrotropin release from superfused rat pituitary fragments.

The effects of triiodothyronine, triiodothyroacetic acid, iopanoic acid and potassium iodide were investigated on basal and stimulated thyrotropin release in an in vitro experimental model. Rat pituitary fragments were superfused by Medium-199 with or without T3 (10(-7) mol/l), triiodothyroacetic acid (10(-8)-10(-6) mol/l), iopanoic acid (10(-7)-10(-5) mol/l) or potassium iodide (10(-7)-10(-4) mol/l). This was followed by a 6-min pulse of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (10(-8) mol/l). TSH was measured in 3-min fractions. The TRH-induced TSH release from the pituitary fragments was inhibited by T3 (10(-7) mol/l), by triiodothyroacetic acid (10(-7)-10(-6) mol/l), and by high concentrations of iodide (10(-4) or 10(-5) mol/l). Iopanoic acid had no significant effect at the concentrations tested. It is assumed that in vitro, and at similar concentrations, the inhibitory effect of triiodothyroacetic acid on the TRH-induced TSH secretion is comparable to that of T3, whereas iopanoic acid may have no direct detectable effect. In contrast, a direct inhibitory effect of inorganic iodide, at least in pharmacological concentrations in vivo, cannot be excluded.

Animals↗

Buccal cell DNA mutation analysis for diagnosis of cystic fibrosis in newborns and infants inaccessible to sweat chloride measurement.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the application of DNA-based cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene mutation analysis as a primary cystic fibrosis (CF) diagnostic test in preterm and term newborns and infants for whom the quantitative pilocarpine iontophoresis test (QPIT) cannot be used. DESIGN: Retrospective survey. SETTING: DNA Diagnostic Laboratory, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. Buccal cell DNA samples were received from inpatients, outpatients, and three neonatal intensive care units. OUTCOME MEASURE: Detection of at least 1 of 12 CFTR mutations. PATIENTS: Between November 1, 1992, and April 30, 1994, 28 newborns and infants under 12 months of age at risk for CF had CFTR DNA mutation analysis performed because a sweat chloride (SC) value could not be obtained. QPIT was either not performed (infant weight <2 kg, QPIT not available at site of hospitalization, or infant not accessible to QPIT laboratory) or was inconclusive (sweat volume <75 mg or indeterminate SC [>/=40, <60 mEq/L]). The postnatal age at time of testing ranged from 1 day to 11 months, and gestational age at birth from 25 to 40 weeks. RESULTS: Six (21%) of 28 infants with unobtainable or indeterminate QPIT had 1 or 2 CFTR mutations detected. Immediate CF diagnosis by direct detection of 2 CFTR mutations was made in 5 of these 6 patients. Definitive CF diagnosis in the infant with 1 CFTR mutation was delayed until an elevation in SC could be documented. The patients with no CFTR mutations detected had a low likelihood of CF. CONCLUSIONS: For infants in whom CF is suspected but QPIT cannot be obtained, buccal cell DNA-based CFTR mutation analysis can be used as a rapid, noninvasive primary diagnostic test. This simple mode of DNA collection may aid in the diagnosis of other inherited disorders in newborns.

Cystic Fibrosis↗

Applications for the new electrochemiluminescent (ECL) and biosensor technologies.

Biosensor and electrochemiluminescent (ECL) assays are replacing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) at Schering-Plough as immunoassays of choice to monitor cytokine levels and detect anti-cytokine antibody responses during cytokine therapy. These new assays provide increased sensitivity and a better correlation with biological assays. Biosensor assays using the BIACORE 2000 (BIACORE, Uppsala, Sweden) are being adopted to support preclinical and clinical trials for the detection of antibodies capable of binding to IL-10 and IL-4. Significant advantages when using a biosensor assay are that real-time and label-free detection permit increased throughput and direct detection of binding interactions which enables detection of low affinity antibodies that are not detected by ELISA. The ECL assays using the ORIGEN Analyser (IGEN, Gaithersburg, MD) that we have implemented to replace existing ELISAs for quantification of serum IL-10 and serum interferon alfa levels are more sensitive and less subject to matrix effects. Data obtained during the validation of these assays are described.

Antibodies↗

Radiation-induced germline mutations detected by a direct comparison of parents and first-generation offspring DNA sequences containing SNPs.

Germline mutation induction has been detected in mice but not in humans. To estimate the genetic risk of germline mutation induction in humans, new techniques for extrapolating from animal data to humans or directly detecting radiation-induced mutations in man are expected to be developed. We have developed a new method to detect germline mutations by directly comparing the DNA sequences of parents and first-generation offspring. C3H male mice were irradiated with gamma-rays of 3, 2 and 1 Gy and 3 weeks later were mated with C57BL female mice of the same age. The nucleotide sequences of 160 UniSTS markers containing 300-900 bp and SNPs of the DNA of parent and offspring mice were determined by direct sequencing. At each dose of radiation, a total of 5 Mb DNA sequences were examined for radiation-induced mutations. We found 7 deletions in 3 Gy-irradiated mice, 1 deletion in 2 Gy-irradiated mice, 1 deletion in 1 Gy-irradiated mice and no mutations in control mice. The maximum mutation frequency was 2.0 x 10(-4)/locus/Gy at 3 Gy, and these results suggested that a non-linear increase of mutations with dose.

Animals↗

Comparison of the Roche LightCycler vanA/vanB detection assay and culture for detection of vancomycin-resistant enterococci from perianal swabs.

We compared the performance characteristics of a real-time PCR method, the LightCycler vanA/vanB detection assay (Roche Diagnostics Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind.) to that of Enterococcosel agar (BBL, Sparks, Md.) for direct detection of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) from 894 perianal stool swabs. For 421 of 894 swabs, the result for LightCycler PCR was compared to an Enterococcosel plate containing vancomycin at 6 microg/ml; for the remaining 473 swabs, the result for LightCycler PCR was compared to an Enterococcosel plate containing 8 microg/ml vancomycin. The LightCycler method produced considerably more positive results than either the Enterococcosel plate containing vancomycin at 6 microg/ml (n = 25 versus n = 11; sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 97%; positive predictive value [PPV], 42%; negative predictive value [NPV], 100%) or the Enterococcosel plate containing vancomycin at 8 microg/ml (n = 31 versus n = 10; sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 95%; PPV, 32%; NPV, 100%). When possible, additional testing, including culture, LightCycler PCR, and/or a conventional PCR method (PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay), were performed on either the original specimens or original cultures or subsequent specimens for cases in which the original specimen was positive by LightCycler PCR but the Enterococcosel plate was negative. This additional testing demonstrated positive results for 7 of 14 (50%) evaluable discordant specimens which initially tested as LightCycler PCR positive but culture negative using the Enterococcosel plate containing vancomycin at 6 microg/ml and 12 of 17 (71%) evaluable discordant specimens which initially tested as LightCycler positive but culture negative using the Enterococcosel plate containing vancomycin at (8 microg/ml). These results demonstrate that the LightCycler VRE detection assay is considerably more sensitive than the standard culture method for detecting VRE directly from perianal swab specimens. The LightCycler assay also provides results much faster than culture (approximately 3.5 versus > or =72 h). The use of this test could have important implications for the effective control and prevention of nosocomial outbreaks of VRE.

Anal Canal↗

Direct chemiluminescent imaging detection of Cu/Zn-superoxidase dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, carbonic anhydrase-III, and catalase in rat liver cytosol separated by native porous gradient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

The cytosolic enzymes extracted from rat hepatocytes were separated by native porous gradient-PAGE (PG-PAGE) and were detected with a sensitive and fast chemiluminescence (CL) imaging method. Several peroxidases including glutathione peroxidase, Cu/Zn-superoxidase dismutase, and some other metallo-enzymes such as catalase, carbonic anhydrase-III (CA-III) present in the cytosol of rat hepatocytes have been selectively and sensitively detected by the direct CL imaging method using the luminol-H(2)O(2) chemiluminescent reagents. All detections after PG-PAGE were completed within 9 min. The linear range for the typical metallo-enzyme, e.g., CA-III is 0.75-4.9 microg/mL, with a detection limit of 0.25 microg/mL. In comparison with the traditional CBB-R250 staining method, the detection period decreased about 70 times and the detection sensitivity improved over ten times. Furthermore, two enzymes present in rat liver cytosol were identified employing MALDI-MS analysis of the tryptic digest after PG-PAGE.

Animals↗

Laboratory diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. 4. Antigen capture and PCR-gene amplification for detection of the Mycoplasma: problems of clinical correlation.

Direct detection assays for Mycoplasma pneumoniae were established by PCR amplification of short sequences within the foot protein/adhesin (P1) gene and the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. Specificity and sensitivity was excellent, no hybridization was observed with M. genitalium and other human Mycoplasma species. In nose and throat washings from subjects with respiratory infection a pattern of high counts (c.f.u./ml) of M. pneumoniae (deduced from the amount of amplified PCR product), and a positive antigen capture assay, was found in 83% of subjects with serological evidence of current infection with M. pneumoniae. A small proportion of subjects with serological patterns suggesting infection in the more distant past had positive PCR assays. This was considered to represent either persistence of the organism from a previous infection or perhaps transient carriage during a reinfection, without substantial change in antibody response. PCR-based assay of M. pneumoniae offers a powerful, rapid, and sensitive substitute for culture of the mycoplasma. Antigen capture, while less sensitive than PCR, offers the advantage that it is more often positive with samples from current infection and requires less stringent laboratory organization to contain false positive results. We conclude however that the laboratory diagnosis of a chosen clinical episode should not rest on the PCR or Ag-EIA assays alone, but must also include antibody assays to confirm whether infection is current or represents persistence from past exposure.

Antigens, Bacterial↗

Singlet oxygen in plants--its significance and possible detection with double (fluorescent and spin) indicator reagents.

Direct detection of reactive oxygen species (ROS), especially singlet oxygen, in plants under stress conditions is of special importance, not only to identify primary events of oxidative damage, but also in studies exploring the potential role of ROS as signal molecules. Due to short life-times and diffusion distances of ROS, these tasks require highly reactive and selective indicator reagents, localized at the presumed site of production. In the present study, we compared four double sensors: ROS indicator reagents in which partial fluorescence quenching of a dansyl moiety occurs as a result of nitroxide radical formation from a sterically hindered amine constituent. Our experiments support the idea that shorter donor-acceptor distances within these molecules result in higher reactivity to ROS. The presence of a diethylaminoethyl side chain resulted in better selectivity to singlet oxygen: reagents lacking such substituent had an additional reactivity to superoxide anions, probably as a result of the formation of zwitterionic structures. Fluorescence localization studies of the indicator reagents in tobacco leaves and in Chlamydomonas cells show promising perspectives of their applications to plant stress studies.

Biology↗

[Chlamydia trachomatis: detection using a direct test and culture in 100 genital specimens].

We have used in routine fluorescein labelled monoclonal antibodies to detect directly C. trachomatis in genital smears from 68 men with urethritis and 32 women with leukorrhoea or cervicitis. We have compared the results with those obtained by culture on cycloheximide treated McCoy cells stained by Giemsa. C. trachomatis was detected in men respectively from 31 per cent of urethral specimens by culture and 29 per cent by direct test and in women from 12 per cent of cervical specimens by culture and 9 per cent by direct test. There was agreement between the results in 92 per cent of the specimen tested. Discrepancies were observed in case of low number of inclusions in culture or low number of elementary bodies in direct test. The direct test seems a rapid and sensitive method and can be performed by many laboratories.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Maltose-binding protein: a versatile platform for prototyping biosensing.

The bacterial periplasmic-binding protein (PBP) superfamily members, in particular the maltose-binding protein, have been used extensively to prototype a variety of biosensing platforms. Although quite diverse at the primary sequence level, this protein superfamily retains the same basic two-domain structure, and upon binding a recognized ligand almost all PBPs undergo a conformational change to a closed structure. This process forms the basis for most, but not all, PBP-based biosensor signal transduction. Many direct detection or reagentless sensing modalities have been utilized with maltose-binding protein for both in vitro and in vivo detection of target compounds. Signal transduction modalities developed to date include direct fluorescence, electrochemical detection, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based detection, surface-tethered FRET sensing, hybrid quantum dot FRET sensing, and enzymatic detection, each of which have different benefits, potential applications and limitations.

Biosensing Techniques↗

Measurement of adenosine concentration in aqueous and vitreous.

PURPOSE: The release of adenosine by the ischemic retina may be an initial signal in the development of ischemic macular edema and neovascularization. The levels of adenosine have never been quantified in ocular fluids. In this study, a technique was developed for in vivo measurement of the concentration of adenosine in aqueous and vitreous. METHODS: Aqueous and vitreous samples were obtained from bovine eyes after death and from live porcine eyes with the subject under general anesthesia. Samples from live eyes were immediately incubated in the sampling syringe with pentoxifylline, erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl) adenine, and dipyridamole to prevent synthesis or degradation of adenosine during the collection procedure, filtered, and flash-frozen in liquid nitrogen. All samples were then filtered and purified on phenylboronate agarose columns and incubated with chloroacetaldehyde to convert the adenosine present in the sample to the fluorescent derivative 1,N6-ethenoadenosine. The 1,N6-ethenoadenosine was separated by high-pressure liquid chromatography and then measured by fluorometry. RESULTS: Levels of adenosine as low as 0.5 pmole could be detected with this procedure, compared with 20 pmoles by UV detection. By using this technique to measure adenosine levels in the eyes of normal weanling domestic pigs, it was determined that the adenosine concentration in the aqueous was 321.3 +/- 164.9 nM and in the vitreous was 210.8 +/- 41.5 nM. CONCLUSIONS: The conversion of adenine-containing compounds to fluorescent 1,N6-etheno derivatives offers analytical advantages of selectivity and sensitivity for the quantitative determination of these compounds, with the fluorometric detection providing substantially greater sensitivity than direct detection by UV absorption. The levels obtained in vivo from anesthetized but otherwise healthy pigs presumably reflected basal aqueous and vitreous adenosine levels under the described conditions. This method should be useful in investigating more directly the role of adenosine in models of retinal or ocular ischemia in vivo and in measuring adenosine levels in vitreous or aqueous samples from human patients.

Acetaldehyde↗

Determination of amino acids in cell culture and fermentation broth media using anion-exchange chromatography with integrated pulsed amperometric detection.

Anion-exchange chromatography with integrated pulsed amperometric detection (AE-IPAD) separates and directly detects amino acids, carbohydrates, alditols, and glycols in the same injection without pre- or post-column derivatization. These separations use a combination of NaOH and NaOH/sodium acetate eluents. We previously published the successful use of this technique, also known as AAA-Direct, to determine free amino acids in cell culture and fermentation broth media. We showed that retention of carbohydrates varies with eluent NaOH concentration differently than amino acids, and thus separations can be optimized by varying the initial NaOH concentration and its duration. Unfortunately, some amino acids eluting in the acetate gradient portion of the method were not completely resolved from system-related peaks and from unknown peaks in complex cell culture and fermentation media. In this article, we present changes in method that improve amino acid resolution and system ruggedness. The success of these changes and their compatibility with the separations previously designed for fermentation and cell culture are demonstrated with yeast extract-peptone-dextrose broth, M199, Dulbecco's modified Eagle's (with F-12), L-15 (Leibovitz), and McCoy's 5A cell culture media.

Acetates↗

Direct and sensitive detection of a human virus by rupture event scanning.

We have developed a sensitive, economical method that directly detects viruses by making use of the interaction between type 1 herpes simplex virus (HSV1) and specific antibodies covalently attached to the oscillating surface of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The virions were detached from the surface by monotonously increasing the amplitude of oscillation of the QCM, while using the QCM to sensitively detect the acoustic noise produced when the interactions were broken. We term this process rupture event scanning (REVS). The method is quantitative over at least six orders of magnitude, and its sensitivity approaches detection of a single virus particle.

Antibodies↗

Integrity of the 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptor in bone, lung, and other cancers.

Differentiation and proliferation can be regulated in diverse cell types by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. These effects derive from modulation of gene expression mediated by the interaction of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 with the vitamin D receptor (VDR). The VDR is one of the nuclear hormone receptors. Because these transcription factors play a key role in growth control, some nuclear hormone receptors, such as the retinoic acid receptor alpha, can be disrupted in cancer. With these alterations in mind, we looked for alterations of the VDR gene in a variety of cancers, including 68 osteosarcomas, 23 other sarcomas, 34 non-small cell lung cancers, and 44 cell lines representing many tumor types. Gross integrity of the VDR gene was examined on Southern blots probed with the coding region of the VDR cDNA. The presence of point mutations targeting VDR exons 2-7 was assessed by polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis and direct DNA sequencing. Two alterations were detected; direct DNA sequencing of these samples revealed one silent mutation in codon 79 and a base change in intron 3. These results suggest that mutations and rearrangement of the VDR do not play a role in the cancers studied.

Blotting, Southern↗