A Method to Pre-Screen Rat Mammary Gland Whole-Mounts Prior To RNAscope

RNAscope is a quantitative in situ gene expression measurement technique that preserves the spatial aspect of intact tissue; thus, allowing for comparison of specific cell populations and morphologies. Reliable and accurate measurement of gene expression in tissue is dependent on preserving RNA integrity and the quantitative nature of RNAscope. The purpose of this study was to determine if the quantitative nature of RNAscope was retained following processing and carmine staining of mammary gland whole-mounts, which are commonly used to identify lesions, such as hyperplasia and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). We were concerned that handling and procedures required to visualize microscopic disease lesions might compromise RNA integrity and the robustness of RNAscope. No effect on the quantitative abilities of RNAscope was detected when mammary gland whole-mounts were pre-screened for lesions of interest prior to RNAscope. This was determined in comparison to tissue that had been formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded (FFPE) immediately after collection. The ability to pre-screen whole-mounts allowed unpalpable diseased lesions to be identified without labor-intensive serial sectioning of tissue samples to find diseased tissue. This method is applicable to evaluate mammary gland whole-mounts during normal mammary gland development, function, and disease progression.