Palmitate-Induced Insulin Hypersecretion and Later Secretory Decline Associated with Changes in Protein Expression Patterns in Human Pancreatic Islets.

In obese children with high circulating concentrations of free fatty acid palmitate, we have observed that insulin levels at fasting and in response to a glucose challenge were several times higher than in obese children with low concentrations of the fatty acid as well as in lean controls. Declining and even insufficient insulin levels were observed in obese adolescents with high levels of the fatty acid. In isolated human islets exposed to palmitate we have observed insulin hypersecretion after 2 days exposure.

Sensitive plasma protein analysis by microparticle-based proximity ligation assays.

Detection of proteins released in the bloodstream from tissues damaged by disease can promote early detection of pathological conditions, differential diagnostics, and follow-up of therapy. Despite these prospects and a plethora of candidate biomarkers, efforts in recent years to establish new protein diagnostic assays have met with limited success. One important limiting factor has been the challenge of detecting proteins present at trace levels in complex bodily fluids.

Multiplexed genotyping of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates by use of padlock probes and tag microarrays.

We developed and tested a ligase-based assay for simultaneous probing of core genome diversity and typing of methicillin resistance determinants in Staphylococcus aureus isolates. This assay uses oligonucleotide padlock probes whose two ends are joined through ligation when they hybridize to matching target DNA. Circularized probes are subsequently amplified by PCR with common primers and analyzed by using a microarray equipped with universal tag probes.

Rapid detection of rifampin resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis by Pyrosequencing technology.

We developed an assay for rapid detection of rifampin resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis based on Pyrosequencing technology, involving a technique for real-time sequencing. A 180-bp region of the rpoB gene was amplified in clinical isolates of both rifampin-resistant and -susceptible M. tuberculosis.

Determination of CYP2D6 gene copy number by pyrosequencing.

Background: Identification of CYP2D6 alleles *5 (deletion of the whole CYP2D6 gene) and *2xN (gene duplication) is very important because they are associated with decreased or increased metabolism of many drugs. The most commonly used method for analysis of these alleles is, however, considered to be laborious and unreliable.

Methods: We developed a method to determine the copy number of the CYP2D6*5 and CYP2D6*2xN alleles by use of Pyrosequencing technology.

Cytochrome p450 genotyping by multiplexed real-time dna sequencing with pyrosequencing technology.

Individual differences in xenobiotic metabolism influence the therapeutic value of many drugs and are of major concern during the development of new drug candidates. A number of polymorphic cytochrome p450 enzymes account for a significant part of this variation. A better understanding of these genetic factors would be of value for drug development, as well as clinical practice.

Rapid combined characterization of microorganism and host genotypes using a single technology.

Background: Genetic information is becoming increasingly important in diagnosis and prognosis of infectious diseases. In this study we investigated the possibility of using a single technology, the Pyrosequencing trade mark technology (Biotage AB, Uppsala, Sweden), to gather several kinds of important genetic information from the human pathogen Helicobacter pylori, as well as from the carrier of the H. pylori infection.

Molecular haplotype determination using allele-specific PCR and pyrosequencing technology.

Haplotyping of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) is usually performed statistically by computational analysis or by time-consuming cloning techniques. Here we present a simple molecular approach for reliable haplotype determination on individual samples. The procedure is based on allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR) in combination with Pyrosequencing analysis.

Pyrosequencing analysis identifies discrete populations of Haemonchus contortus from small ruminants.

The genus Haemonchus consists of blood-sucking parasitic nematodes in the abomasum of ruminants. Members of this genus are responsible for extensive production losses, particularly of small ruminants in the tropics but are also found in temperate regions. In this study, we examined the internal transcribed spacers-1 and -2 of rRNA in Haemonchus spp.

Method for one-step preparation of double-stranded DNA template applicable for use with Pyrosequencing technology.

A new one-step method for fast and efficient preparation of double-stranded DNA template, suitable for use with Pyrosequencing technology, has been developed. In the new method, two different types of oligonucleotides were used to prevent reannealing of remaining PCR primers to the template: oligonucleotides complementary to the PCR primers and 3'-end modified oligonucleotides with the same sequence as the PCR primers. Advantages with the new strategy are: (i) faster and simpler template preparation procedure (one-step); (ii) no need for exonuclease I treatment; and (iii) less problem with unspecific priming from loop structures and dimers.

Pyrosequencing technology and the need for versatile solutions in molecular clinical research.

An increasing amount of genetic information is rapidly becoming available to the practitioners of medicine and pharmacology. This knowledge promises to revolutionize the determination of diagnoses and prognoses for genetically-based disorders as well as infectious diseases and to enable tailoring of treatment to suit the individual patient. As genomics becomes ripe for clinical implementation, versatile technologies that can handle all the relevant types of analyses will be requested by many clinicians.