NIH, National Cancer Institute, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (DCTD) NIH - National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute DCTD - Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis

RNA from decades-old archival tissue blocks for retrospective studies.

Author(s): Mizuno T, Nagamura H, Iwamoto KS, Ito T, Fukuhara T, Tokunaga M, Tokuoka S, Mabuchi K, Seyama T

Publication: Diagn Mol Pathol, 1998, Vol. 7, Page 202-8

PubMed ID: 9917130 PubMed Review Paper? No

Purpose of Paper

The purpose of this paper was to evaluate whether RNA could be isolated and amplified from autopsy tissues with varying postmortem intervals (up to 24 h) that had been formalin-fixed for various durations (up to 219 d) and stored as, paraffin embedded tissue blocks for 10 to 40 years.

Conclusion of Paper

The authors report successful amplification of c-BCR mRNA from 60% of liver biospecimens and 65% of thyroid biospecimens. Successful RT-PCR amplification of RNA extracted from archival formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens was dependent upon the length of storage, decreasing from a 80% success rate among specimens stored for 10 years to 40% after 40 years of storage. A similar decrease was observed with increasing postmortem intervals from 2 to 24 hours. The duration of formalin fixation did not significantly influence RT-PCR results. RNA from tumor-associated viral sequences (hepatitis C virus for liver and H4-RET for thyroid) was demonstrated in a subset of cases for each tissue type. The authors concluded that RNA extracted from archival FFPE tissues may be used retrospectively for molecular analysis.

Studies

  1. Study Purpose

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether RNA could be isolated and amplified from autopsy tissues with varying postmortem intervals (PMI; up to 24 h) that had been formalin-fixed ( for 10 to 219 d) and stored as paraffin embedded tissue blocks for 10 to 40 years. Neoplastic liver and thyroid tissues were examined.

    Summary of Findings:

    The authors report successful amplification of c-BCR mRNA from 60% of liver biospecimens and 65% of thyroid biospecimens. Successful RT-PCR amplification of RNA extracted from archival formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens was dependent upon the length of storage, decreasing from a 80% success rate among specimens stored for 10 years to 40% after 40 years of storage. Similarly, RT-PCR analysis was adversely affected by increasing PMI, with RT-PCR success rate decreasing from 80% after a PMI to 0-2 h to 60% after 4-10 h. The duration of formalin fixation (10 to 219 d) did not significantly influence RT-PCR results. The authors report successful amplification of HCV in 39 of 74 liver carcinoma biospecimens and successful amplification of H4-RET in 2 of 19 thyroid carcinoma biospecimens.

    Biospecimens
    Preservative Types
    • Formalin
    Diagnoses:
    • Neoplastic - Carcinoma
    • Autopsy
    Platform:
    AnalyteTechnology Platform
    RNA RT-PCR
    DNA Southern blot
    Pre-analytical Factors:
    ClassificationPre-analytical FactorValue(s)
    Storage Storage duration 10-40 years
    Preaquisition Postmortem interval 0-1 h 59 min
    2 h- 3 h 59 min
    4 h-9 h 59 min
    10 h-23 h 59 min
    >24 h
    Biospecimen Preservation Time in fixative 10-20 d
    21-30 d
    31-60 d
    61-219 d
    Biospecimen Acquisition Biospecimen location Liver
    Thyroid

You Recently Viewed  

News and Announcements

  • Just Published!

  • April 24, 2024: Biobanking for Precision Medicine Seminar

  • Most Popular SOPs in March 2024

  • More...