Effect of Pneumatic Tube System Transport on Cell-Free DNA.
Author(s): Geerlings MJ, Hofste LSM, Kamping EJ, Abdi Z, Tolmeijer SH, Garms LM, Klarenbeek BR, Ligtenberg MJL
Publication: Clin Chem, 2021, Vol. 67, Page 434-435
PubMed ID: 33280007 PubMed Review Paper? No
Purpose of Paper
This paper compared two transportation methods (courier, pneumatic tube system (PTS)) regarding potential differences in the number of detectable copies of three different DNA amplicons in blood collected in Roche cell-free DNA tubes and EDTA tubes.
Conclusion of Paper
Transportation of EDTA blood by PTS resulted in more copies of all three-sized DNA amplicons in plasma compared to when transported by by courier; however, transportation method of blood collected in Roche cell-free DNA tubes did not affect copy numbers of differently sized DNA amplicons. The authors conclude that DNA is released from blood cells in EDTA tubes, but not Roche cell-free DNA tubes, during PTS transport.
Studies
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Study Purpose
This study compared two transportation methods (courier, PTS) regarding potential differences in the number of detectable copies of three different DNA amplicons in blood collected in Roche cell-free DNA tubes and EDTA tubes. Blood was collected from a total of 25 patients with esophageal cancer into either duplicate EDTA tubes (8 patients) or Roche cell-free DNA blood collection tubes (17 patients). One specimen from each set was transported by PTS (840 m at 3.5-4.0 m/sec) and the other was transported by courier. Plasma was obtained by centrifugation at 1600 x g for 10 min followed by 16,000 x g for 10 min within 4 h (EDTA tubes) or 4 days (Roche cell-free DNA tubes) of collection. Plasma was stored at -80°C until DNA isolation using the QiaAmp Circulating Nucleic Acid Kit. DNA was quantified using a multiplex ddPCR assay that amplified 137, 420, and 1950 bp fragments of β-Actin.
Summary of Findings:
Transportation of EDTA blood by PTS resulted in more copies of the 137, 420 and 1950 bp βActin amplicons in plasma compared to case-matched specimens transported by courier (+53%, P=0.002; +59%, P=0.004; and +111%, P=0.001, respectively). In contrast, transportation method of blood in Roche cell-free DNA tubes did not significantly affect copy numbers of the 137, 420 and 1950 bp amplicons (+3%, +3%, and +15%, respectively). The authors conclude that DNA is released from blood cells in EDTA tubes but not Roche cell-free DNA tubes during PTS transport.
Biospecimens
Preservative Types
- Other Preservative
- Frozen
Diagnoses:
- Neoplastic - Carcinoma
Platform:
Analyte Technology Platform DNA Digital PCR Pre-analytical Factors:
Classification Pre-analytical Factor Value(s) Storage Within hospital transportation method Pneumatic tube system
Hand-delivered
Digital PCR Specific Targeted nucleic acid β-actin
Digital PCR Specific Length of gene fragment 137 bp
420 bp
1950 bp
Biospecimen Acquisition Type of collection container/solution EDTA tube
Roche cell-free DNA tubes