In Situ Sodium Bisulfite Modification of Genomic DNA from Microdissected Melanoma Paraffin-Embedded Archival Tissues

DNA methylation analysis of paraffin-embedded archival tumor tissues (PEAT) is important in clinical and translational research studies. Efficient identification and isolation of homogeneous cell population, optimal DNA extraction, and sodium bisulfite modification (SBM) are essential, particularly in small tumor lesions. Laser capture microdissection (LCM) coupled with an in situ SBM improves the specificity, through histopathology accuracy, and the amount of genomic DNA modified for downstream methylation assays.