Using New Method, SEQUENOM Discovers Highly Informative Epigentic Markers for Lung
SEQUENOM, Inc. announced that it has developed a process that identifies epigenetic markers that have been used in lung cancer research. The innovative process performs high-throughput DNA methylation analysis based on the Company's MassARRAY(R) system. Together with researchers with the University of Liverpool, SEQUENOM scientists evaluated the performance of the procedure in a clinical setting by analyzing the cytosine methylation pattern in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
DNA methylation can cause changes in chromatin structure resulting in the improper activation or inactivation of nearby genes. This is particularly interesting for cancer research, because changes in methylation status of DNA may be a marker for early disease detection. While DNA methylation analysis has been an area of interest for quite some time, previous techniques faced technical limitations, including lack of sensitivity and accuracy that prevented them from being widely used in the clinical arena. The newly developed method, however, uses base-specific cleavage of single-stranded nucleic acids and combines the sensitivity of mass spectrometry with high-throughput capability.
Researchers analyzed the degree of methylation of 47 candidate genes in lung tumors and adjacent normal specimens from 48 patients with a history of smoking. The genes were selected from public databases and are known to change expression levels during cancer development. In the study, researchers were able to determine the relative methylation of the genes and show the difference in methylation levels between normal and tumor tissue.
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Topic World Mass Spectrometry
Mass spectrometry enables us to detect and identify molecules and reveal their structure. Whether in chemistry, biochemistry or forensics - mass spectrometry opens up unexpected insights into the composition of our world. Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of mass spectrometry!
Topic World Mass Spectrometry
Mass spectrometry enables us to detect and identify molecules and reveal their structure. Whether in chemistry, biochemistry or forensics - mass spectrometry opens up unexpected insights into the composition of our world. Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of mass spectrometry!