Detection of mRNA and hnRNA using a digoxigenin labelled cDNA probe byin situ hybridization on frozen tissue sections

Summary A full-length cDNA clone encoding the constant region of T cell receptor chain was labelled by random priming DNA with digoxigenin-dUTP. The probe was used to estimate the relative amount of the receptor chain mRNA byin situ hybridization on frozen sections from human thymus and lymph nodes. The hybridization was visualized in blue using an anti-digoxigenin antibody conjugated with alkaline phosphatase and a subsequent enzyme-catalysed colour reaction. The distributions of the signal in tissue sections were as expected. Moreover, labelled cells showed hybrids both in the cytoplasm and in the nucleus, and strongly and weakly stained cells were clearly distinguishable. The results indicate that this method ofin situ hybridization should be useful in the detection of specific mRNA in frozen sections.