Biomaterial Database

Extraction of DNA from paraffin blocks for Southern blot analysis. 1991

C Mies, and J Houldsworth, and R S Chaganti

Department of Pathology, Memorial Hospital, New York, New York 10021.

Tissues stored as paraffin blocks are a potential source of DNA for retrospective clinicogenetic analysis. To assess the feasibility of Southern blot analysis, DNA extracted from paraffin blocks was compared with DNA obtained from fresh-frozen controls of the same tissues. Sections 50-100 microns thick cut from paraffin blocks of 11 normal tissues, 18 lymphoid lesions, and 9 gastric carcinoma samples were deparaffinized and incubated at 45 degrees C for 48 to 72 h in a sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)/proteinase K solution. Following organic extraction, alcohol precipitation, restriction endonuclease digestion, and gel electrophoresis, DNA was transferred to nylon membranes. 32P-labelled DNA probes for the immunoglobulin heavy-chain locus and T-cell receptor beta-chain gene were hybridized to the normal tissue and lymphoid samples; the gastric cancers were probed for the HER-2/neu protooncogene. Intact DNA was obtained from the majority of formalin-fixed samples, yielding results qualitatively similar to those from fresh tissues. Degradation is the most significant problem in analyzing DNA extracted from paraffin blocks and compromises accurate quantitation. DNA analysis using paraffin-embedded tissue has potential clinical and research applications and may be a particularly useful way to study gene abnormalities in unusual tumors infrequently available as fresh specimens.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009693	Nucleic Acid Hybridization	Widely used technique which exploits the ability of complementary sequences in single-stranded DNAs or RNAs to pair with each other to form a double helix. Hybridization can take place between two complimentary DNA sequences, between a single-stranded DNA and a complementary RNA, or between two RNA sequences. The technique is used to detect and isolate specific sequences, measure homology, or define other characteristics of one or both strands. (Kendrew, Encyclopedia of Molecular Biology, 1994, p503)	Genomic Hybridization,Acid Hybridization, Nucleic,Acid Hybridizations, Nucleic,Genomic Hybridizations,Hybridization, Genomic,Hybridization, Nucleic Acid,Hybridizations, Genomic,Hybridizations, Nucleic Acid,Nucleic Acid Hybridizations
D010232	Paraffin	A mixture of solid hydrocarbons obtained from petroleum. It has a wide range of uses including as a stiffening agent in ointments, as a lubricant, and as a topical anti-inflammatory. It is also commonly used as an embedding material in histology.	Parafilm
D011309	Preservation, Biological	The process of protecting various samples of biological material.	Biological Preservation,Preservation, Biologic,Biologic Preservation
D004247	DNA	A deoxyribonucleotide polymer that is the primary genetic material of all cells. Eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms normally contain DNA in a double-stranded state, yet several important biological processes transiently involve single-stranded regions. DNA, which consists of a polysugar-phosphate backbone possessing projections of purines (adenine and guanine) and pyrimidines (thymine and cytosine), forms a double helix that is held together by hydrogen bonds between these purines and pyrimidines (adenine to thymine and guanine to cytosine).	DNA, Double-Stranded,Deoxyribonucleic Acid,ds-DNA,DNA, Double Stranded,Double-Stranded DNA,ds DNA
D005615	Freezing	Liquids transforming into solids by the removal of heat.	Melting
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001345	Autoradiography	The making of a radiograph of an object or tissue by recording on a photographic plate the radiation emitted by radioactive material within the object. (Dorland, 27th ed)	Radioautography
D015139	Blotting, Southern	A method (first developed by E.M. Southern) for detection of DNA that has been electrophoretically separated and immobilized by blotting on nitrocellulose or other type of paper or nylon membrane followed by hybridization with labeled NUCLEIC ACID PROBES.	Southern Blotting,Blot, Southern,Southern Blot