Colon Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Colon Cancer, including details on causes, treatment, symptoms.

Multiplex tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system PCR to detect 6 common germline mutations of the MUTYH gene associated with polyposis and colorectal cancer.

Piccioli P, Serra M, Gismondi V, Pedemonte S, Loiacono F, Lastraioli S, Bertario L, De Angioletti M, Varesco L, Notaro R

Laboratory of Human Genetics, Medical Oncology C, Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, Genoa, Italy.

BACKGROUND: We describe a simple tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system PCR (T-ARMS-PCR) for detecting MUTYH mutations, which are associated with colorectal adenomas and colorectal cancer. METHODS: We designed specific T-ARMS-PCR assays for 6 mutations (Y165C, G382D, 1395_7delGGA, Y90X, 1103delC, and R231H) selected on the basis of the frequency of their occurrence. We also designed a set of 3 multiplex T-ARMS PCR assays, each for detection of 2 mutations. We tested DNA samples from patients with attenuated or classic adenomatous polyposis coli and no detectable APC germline mutations. RESULTS: All mutations were easily detected with both the specific and multiplex T-ARMS-PCR assays. Results were confirmed by DNA HPLC analysis in all 54 patients, and each mutation was confirmed by direct DNA sequencing. CONCLUSIONS: T-ARMS-PCR does not require any special equipment, and it provides rapid, reproducible, and cost-effective detection of common MUTYH mutations. Multiplex T-ARMS-PCR allows the detection of 6 common MUTYH mutations with use of as few as 3 single tube PCR reactions. It could be useful to carry out large population-based epidemiologic studies.

Published 5 April 2006 in Clin Chem, 52(4): 739-43.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Colon Cancer Research Today. All Rights Reserved.