Detecting genomic aberrations by fluorescence in situ hybridization with quantum dots-labeled probes

Detection of genomic alterations of cancer genes by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) will provide important information for cancer diagnosis and therapy. To effectively and reliably detect the genomic changes, we prepared novel FISH probes by directly conjugating genomic DNA of genes to semiconductor quantum dot fluorophores (QDs). The generated QD-genomic probes are substantially more photostable than the probes labeled with organic dye and show high intensity in both metaphase and interphase cell. The directly labeling probes allow detection of genomic targets in a fast and simple FISH procedure with high sensitivity and specificity. Furthermore, application of the QD-genomic probes in lung cancer specimens can reliably visualize gene amplification in cancer cells. These results suggest that the QD-FISH probes may offer an effective approach to analyze cancer-related genomic aberrations in basic research and clinical applications.