Multiplex Ligation-Dependent Probe Amplification Analysis on Capillary Electrophoresis Instruments for a Rapid Gene Copy Number Study

Annotated DNA samples that had been previously analyzed were tested using multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) assays containing probes targeting BRCA1, BRCA2, and MMR (MLH1/MSH2 genes) and the 9p21 chromosomal region. MLPA polymerase chain reaction products were separated on a capillary electrophoresis platform, and the data were analyzed using GeneMapper v4.0 software (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA). After signal normalization, loci regions that had undergone deletions or duplications were identified using the GeneMapper Report Manager and verified using the DyeScale functionality. The results highlight an easy-to-use, optimal sample preparation and analysis workflow that can be used for both small- and large-scale studies.     

Added Value of HER-2 Amplification Testing by Multiplex Ligation-Dependent Probe Amplification in Invasive Breast Cancer

Background

HER-2 is a prognostic and predictive marker, but as yet no technique is perfectly able to identify patients likely to benefit from HER-2 targeted therapies. We aimed to prospectively assess the added value of first-line co-testing by IHC, and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) and chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH).

Methods

As local validation, HER-2 MLPA and CISH were compared in 99 breast cancers. Next, we reviewed 937 invasive breast cancers, from 4 Dutch pathology laboratories, that were prospectively assessed for HER-2 by IHC and MLPA (and CISH in selected cases).

Results

The validation study demonstrated 100% concordance between CISH and MLPA, if both methods were assessable and conclusive (81.8% of cases). Significant variation regarding percentages IHC 0/1+ and 2+ cases was observed between the laboratories (p<0.0001). Overall concordance between IHC and MLPA/CISH was 98.1% (575/586) (Kappa = 0.94). Of the IHC 3+ cases, 6.7% failed to reveal gene amplification, whereas 0.8% of the IHC 0/1+ cases demonstrated gene amplification. Results remained discordant after retrospective review in 3/11 discordant cases. In the remaining 8 cases the original IHC score was incorrect or adapted after repeated IHC staining.

Conclusions

MLPA is a low-cost and quantitative high-throughput technique with near perfect concordance with CISH. The use of MLPA in routinely co-testing all breast cancers may reduce HER-2 testing variation between laboratories, may serve as quality control for IHC, will reveal IHC 0/1+ patients with gene amplification, likely responsive to trastuzumab, and identify IHC 3+ cases without gene amplification that may respond less well.     

Improved Detection of Deletions and Duplications in the DMD Gene Using the Multiplex Ligation-Dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) Method

The multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) assay is the most powerful tool in screening for deletions and duplications in the dystrophin gene in patients with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD/BMD). The efficacy of the assay was validated by testing 20 unrelated male patients with DMD/BMD who had already been screened by multiplex PCR (mPCR). We detected two duplications that had been missed by mPCR. In one DMD patient showing an ambiguous MLPA result, a novel mutation (c.3808_3809insG) was identified. MLPA improved the mutation detection rate of mPCR by 15 %. The results of our study (1) confirmed MLPA to be the method of choice for detecting DMD gene rearrangements in DMD/BMD patients, (2) showed that ambiguous MLPA amplification products should be verified by other methods, and (3) indicated that the MLPA method could be used in screening even for small mutations located in the probe-binding regions.     

改良逆转录环介导等温扩增检测技术快速实时检测H9亚型禽流感病毒

利用改良逆转录环介导等温扩增(RT-LAMP)技术建立一种快速、灵敏的检测方法用于H9亚型禽流感病毒检测。根据H9亚型禽流感病毒血凝素(HA)基因保守区序列中的8个区段设计6条特异性引物,在恒温条件下进行核酸扩增反应,并以琼脂糖凝胶电泳和目视检查绿色荧光两种方法对扩增结果进行判定。结果表明,RT-LAMP的最小检测限为100 fg,灵敏度比PT-PCR高100倍,且与H5亚型、H7亚型禽流感病毒,新城疫病毒(NDV)无交叉反应。目视检查绿色荧光与常规琼脂糖凝胶电泳的判定结果一致。整个扩增检测过程在35 min内即可完成。利用临床样本对RT-LAMP法进行验证,结果与RT-PCR一致。由实时浊度分析得到的标准曲线,计算出临床样本中的病毒质粒拷贝数均在2×107-2×104之间。因此,本研究建立的RT-LAMP方法快速、灵敏、特异性强,是H9亚型禽流感病毒的一种高效检测方法。     

犬瘟热病毒RT-LAMP检测方法的建立和初步应用

目的利用环介导等温扩增（LAMP）技术建立一种检测犬瘟热病毒感染的新方法。方法根据GenBank中NP基因序列,设计4条LAMP特异性引物,对反应条件、特异性、可视化效果和应用效果进行研究。结果在60℃等温的条件下、1 h内可完成RT-LAMP扩增过程;特异性和可视效果良好;对63份临床标本进行检测,阳性检出率为71.4%（45/63）,检出率高于RT-PCR的63.5%（40/63）。结论建立的RT-LAMP检测方法,显示了较高的特异性和敏感性,而且兼具高效、快捷、可视化的优势,为临床检测犬瘟热病毒感染提供了一种快速简便的新途径。     

禽流感H5、H7、H9亚型多重实时荧光RT-PCR检测方法的建立

为了对致病性强、危害性大的H5、H7、H9亚型禽流感病毒进行同时集成化快速检测,通过对GenBank已报道的禽流感病毒的HA基因进行序列分析比较,设计了H5、H7、H9 3个亚型的特异性引物和分别用3个荧光基团标记的Taqman MGB核酸探针。将各个亚型引物与探针优化组合,筛选出能够同时检测禽流感病毒H5、H7、H9 3个亚型、且对Ct值和扩增效率影响不大的3组引物和探针,建立了三重实时荧光RT-PCR方法。该方法特异性好,在我们检测的样品中,没有发现假阳性和假阴性现象。同时敏感性高,检测禽流感病毒H5、H7、H9亚型的敏感性分别达到1 0001、000、500个模板拷贝数;此外抗干扰能力强,对禽流感H5、H7、H9 3个亚型的不同模板浓度进行组合,仍可有效地同时检测3个病毒亚型。所建立的方法对保存的89个禽流感病毒样品进行检测,结果与经典检测方法(病毒分离鉴定、HA、HI)的符合率达100%。用上述建立的方法与鸡胚分离法同时对新鲜采集的4 000多份临床样品进行检测,两种方法的检测结果符合率为100%。     

Microarray Multiplex Assay for the Simultaneous Detection and Discrimination of Influenza A and Influenza B Viruses

In this study, we present a microarray approach for the typing of influenza A and B viruses, and the subtyping of H1 and H3 subtypes. We designed four pairs of specific multiplex RT-PCR primers and eight specific oligonucleotide probes and prepared microarrays to identify the specific subtype of influenza virus. Through amplification and fluorescent marking of the multiplex RT-PCR products on the M gene of influenza A and B viruses and the HA gene of subtypes H1 and H3, the PCR products were hybridized with the microarray, and the results were analyzed using a microarray scanner. The results demonstrate that the chip developed by our research institute can detect influenza A and B viruses specifically and identify the subtypes H1 and H3 at a minimum concentration of 1 × 10² copies/μL of viral RNA. We tested 35 clinical samples and our results were identical to other fluorescent methods. The microarray approach developed in this study provides a reliable method for the monitoring and testing of seasonal influenza.     

3种贝类原虫多重荧光定量PCR方法的建立

目的:建立能够同时检测单孢子虫、派琴虫和折光马尔太虫的三重荧光定量PCR方法。方法:根据基因库中单孢子虫、派琴虫和折光马尔太虫的基因序列,设计3对特异性引物和3条用不同荧光基团标记的TaqMan探针,对反应条件和试剂浓度进行优化,建立能够同时检测单孢子虫、派琴虫和折光马尔太虫的三重荧光定量PCR方法。结果:该方法对单孢子虫、派琴虫和折光马尔太虫的检测敏感性分别达到40、400和40个模板拷贝数;此外抗干扰能力强,对单孢子虫、派琴虫和折光马尔太虫不同模板浓度进行组合,仍可有效地同时检测这3种原虫,对嗜水气单胞菌、荧光假单胞菌、副溶血弧菌、溶藻弧菌、河弧菌和拟态弧菌等病原体的检测结果均为阴性。结论:建立的单孢子虫、派琴虫和折光马尔太虫多重荧光定量PCR具有特异、敏感、快速、定量和重复性好等优点,可用于临床上单孢子虫、派琴虫和折光马尔太虫感染的检测。     

Development of a Multiplex Real-Time PCR Assay with an Internal Amplification Control for the Detection of Total and Pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus Bacteria in Oysters

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is an estuarine bacterium that is the leading cause of shellfish-associated cases of bacterial gastroenteritis in the United States. Our laboratory developed a real-time multiplex PCR assay for the simultaneous detection of the thermolabile hemolysin (tlh), thermostable direct hemolysin (tdh), and thermostable-related hemolysin (trh) genes of V. parahaemolyticus. The tlh gene is a species-specific marker, while the tdh and trh genes are pathogenicity markers. An internal amplification control (IAC) was incorporated to ensure PCR integrity and eliminate false-negative reporting. The assay was tested for specificity against >150 strains representing eight bacterial species. Only V. parahaemolyticus strains possessing the appropriate target genes generated a fluorescent signal, except for a late tdh signal generated by three strains of V. hollisae. The multiplex assay detected <10 CFU/reaction of pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus in the presence of >10⁴ CFU/reaction of total V. parahaemolyticus bacteria. The real-time PCR assay was utilized with a most-probable-number format, and its results were compared to standard V. parahaemolyticus isolation methodology during an environmental survey of Alaskan oysters. The IAC was occasionally inhibited by the oyster matrix, and this usually corresponded to negative results for V. parahaemolyticus targets. V. parahaemolyticus tlh, tdh, and trh were detected in 44, 44, and 52% of the oyster samples, respectively. V. parahaemolyticus was isolated from 33% of the samples, and tdh⁺ and trh⁺ strains were isolated from 19 and 26%, respectively. These results demonstrate the utility of the real-time PCR assay in environmental surveys and its possible application to outbreak investigations for the detection of total and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus.     

多重连接依赖性探针扩增技术及其应用进展

多重连接依赖性探针扩增(MLPA)是一种高通量、针对待测核酸中靶序列进行定性和相对定量分析的新技术。该技术具有分辨率高、操作简便、设备要求低等诸多优势而广泛用于检测人类基因组内拷贝数变异(CNV)。近年来,MLPA在技术与应用上又有许多新的发展,如运用化学合成法制备3'、5'探针,MLPA在基因甲基化检测、基因表达水平分析、基因部分片段重复区域拷贝数分析及转基因基因分型中的应用,并且MLPA与基因芯片微阵列技术的结合,使得多重连接探针扩增真正具备了高通量检测能力。本文就MLPA技术及其应用进展作一综述。     

牡蛎单孢子虫环介导等温扩增可视化检测方法的建立

目的:建立基于环介导等温扩增(LAMP)技术的单孢子虫可视化检测方法。方法:根据尼氏单孢子虫的小亚基核糖体RNA保守序列,设计一套特异性LAMP引物,对反应条件如温度和试剂浓度进行优化,建立检测牡蛎单孢子虫的LAMP方法。结果:所建立的方法的敏感性可达1 fg,是常规PCR方法的100倍;全部反应可在1 h内完成;可通过肉眼观察颜色,直接判定结果;对其他牡蛎常见病原体的检测结果均为阴性。结论:建立的LAMP方法简便、快速、灵敏、特异,可用于牡蛎单孢子虫感染的快速检测。     

鸭瘟病毒LAMP可视化检测方法的建立

目的:建立一种快速、简便、特异性高的鸭瘟病毒(DPV)环介导等温扩增(LAMP)检测方法。方法:根据Gen Bank中DPVUI6基因的保守序列设计一套特异性引物,并对反应条件进行优化,建立DPV的LAMP可视化检测方法。结果:建立的LAMP方法对其他鸭常见病原体无扩增反应;可通过肉眼观察颜色直接判定结果;敏感性可达0.1fg,是常规PCR方法的100倍;扩增反应只须在常规水浴锅中进行,可在1 h内完成。结论:建立的DPV LAMP方法简便、快速、灵敏、特异,可用于DPV感染的快速检测。     

Development of a Novel Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2

In conclusion, the novel visual RT-LAMP assay is a simple, rapid, and sensitive approach for detection of SARS-CoV-2, and it is ready for application in primary care and community hospitals or health care centers, and even patients' own houses in response to the current SARS-CoV-2 epidemic because the assay does not require sophisticated equipment and skilled personnel. Furthermore, it is also ready to be used in fields for screening samples from wild animals and environments to facilitate the identification of potential intermediate hosts that mediate the cross-species transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from bats to humans.     

禽流感和新城疫病毒二重荧光定量RT-PCR检测方法的建立

目的：建立二重荧光定量RT-PCR方法,用于禽流感病毒（AIV）和新城疫病毒（NDV）的检测。方法：根据AIV和NDV的基因保守序列,设计了AIV和NDV的2对特异性引物和2条用不同荧光基团标记的TaqMan探针;对反应条件和试剂浓度进行优化,建立了能够同时检测AIV和NDV的Z-重荧光定量RT-PCR方法。结果：所建方法特异性好,对AIV和NDV的检测敏感性均达到2000个模板拷贝数,比常规RT-PCR敏感性高100倍;抗干扰能力强,对AIV和NDV不同模板浓度进行组合,仍可有效地同时检测2种病毒。对保存的AIV或NDV鸡胚尿囊液及临床病料进行二重荧光定量RT-PCR检测,结果尿囊液检测的拷贝数均达到10^10/μL以上,临床病料的拷贝数为2．13x10^8-6．52x10^4／μL。结论：建立了用于检测AIV和NDV的二重荧光定量RT-PCR法,该方法特异、敏感、快速、可定量,对AIV和NDV的防制有重要意义。