A gene expression profile for detection of sufficient tumour cells in breast tumour tissue: microarray diagnosis eligibility.

Background: Microarray diagnostics of tumour samples is based on measurement of prognostic and/or predictive gene expression profiles. Typically, diagnostic profiles have been developed using bulk tumour samples with a sufficient amount of tumour cells (usually >50%). Consequentially, a diagnostic results depends on the minimal percentage of tumour cells within a sample.

Hepatic gene expression in protoporphyic Fech mice is associated with cholestatic injury but not a marked depletion of the heme regulatory pool.

BALB/c Fech(m1Pas) mice have a mutated ferrochelatase gene resulting in protoporphyria that models the hepatic injury occurring sporadically in human erythropoietic protoporphyria. We used this mouse model to study the development of the injury and to compare the dysfunction of heme synthesis with hepatic gene expression of liver metabolism, oxidative stress, and cellular injury/inflammation. From an early age expression of total cytochrome P450 and many of its isoforms was significantly lower than in wild-type mice.