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Updated: Jan 31, 2026

Preparation of Formalin-fixed Paraffin-embedded Tissue Cores for both RNA and DNA Extraction
Published on: August 21, 2016
Cold Ischemia Score: An mRNA Assay for the Detection of Extended Cold Ischemia in Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded
William Mathieson1, Kathleen Mommaerts1, Johanna M Trouet1
1Integrated Biobank of Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
Abstract:
Although there are thousands of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks potentially available for scientific research, many are of questionable quality, partly due to unknown preanalytical variables. We analyzed FFPE tissue biospecimens as part of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Biospecimen Preanalytical Variables program to identify mRNA markers denoting cold ischemic time. The mRNA was extracted from colon, kidney, and ovary cancer FFPE blocks (40 patients, 10-12 hr fixation time) with 1, 2, 3, and 12 hr cold ischemic times, then analyzed using qRT-PCR for 23 genes selected following a literature search. No genes tested could determine short ischemic times (1-3 hr). However, a combination of three unstable genes normalized to a more stable gene could generate a "Cold Ischemia Score" that could distinguish 1 to 3 hr cold ischemia from 12 hr cold ischemia with 62% sensitivity and 84% specificity.
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