Carrier molecules and extraction of circulating tumor DNA for next generation sequencing in colorectal cancer.

The aims of the study were: i) to compare circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) yields obtained by different manual extraction procedures, ii) to evaluate the addition of various carrier molecules into the plasma to improve ctDNA extraction recovery, and iii) to use next generation sequencing (NGS) technology to analyze KRAS, BRAF, and NRAS somatic mutations in ctDNA from patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Venous blood was obtained from patients who suffered from metastatic colorectal carcinoma. For plasma ctDNA extraction, the following carriers were tested: carrier RNA, polyadenylic acid, glycogen, linear acrylamide, yeast tRNA, salmon sperm DNA, and herring sperm DNA.

Expression profiles of somatostatin, dopamine, and estrogen receptors in pituitary adenomas determined by means of synthetic multilocus calibrators.

Aims: Pituitary adenomas (PA) are non-invasive benign tumors with a high autopsy prevalence. They are classified according to the type of hormone secreted (prolactin, growth hormone, adrenocorticotropin, thyrotropin, folitropin, or luteinizing hormone). Clinically non-functioning adenomas (CNFA) lacking the typical hypersecretion of hormones make up a significant portion of PA.

Preparing Triple-Compound Heterozygous Control Material for Molecular Diagnostics of TPMT Allelic Variants.

The aim of the study is to present a novel approach for preparing triple-compound heterozygous reference material (TCH-RM) for thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT) genotyping by using the gene synthesis technology. The polynucleotide chain we prepared consisted of three wild-type and three mutant segments corresponding to the TPMT 238G>C, 460G>A, and 719A>G polymorphic sites. TCH-RM characteristics were assessed via four methods: reverse hybridization, real-time PCR with hydrolysis probes, real-time PCR followed by subsequent melting temperature analysis, and DNA sequencing.

Dopamine 2 and somatostatin 1-5 receptors coexpression in clinically non-functioning pituitary adenomas.

This study investigated quantitated expression of dopamine 2 receptor (D2R) and somatostatin receptors of the five types (SSTR1-SSTR5) in a large series of clinically non-functioning pituitary adenomas (CNFAs). Co-expression of these receptors in individual adenomas was studied as well as correlation between receptor types. Adenoma tissue from 198 patients who underwent surgery for CNFAs was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time PCR.

Preparing compound heterozygous reference material using gene synthesis technology: a model of thrombophilic mutations.

Aims: The aim of our study is to present a novel approach for preparing a compound heterozygous reference material (hetRM) using gene synthesis technology with inverted insertion of wild-type and mutant fragments into a single cloning vector. Factor II (G20210A) and Factor V (G1691A Leiden) gene mutations were used as an experimental model.

Methods: During the gene synthesis, DNA fragments were aligned in the following order: G1691 FV wild-type forward strain, G20210 FII wild-type forward strain, 1691A FV mutant reverse strain, 20210A FII mutant reverse strain.