SelectScience
Join Free
Accelerating Science
NewsLife Sciences

Risk Factors for Prostate Cancer Identified and Validated Using Droplet Digital PCR

SelectScience

Learn how digital PCR is advancing cancer genetics research at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center

17 May 2016
Lynsey Forsyth
Post Doc / Research Fellow

Editorial article

Professor of Genetics, Diptasri Mandal and graduate student, Kirsten Wood, from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center spoke to SelectScience® at AACR 2016 about their latest research that has identified genetic risk factors of hereditary prostate cancer and used droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) to validate these genetic abnormalities.

Professor Mandal revealed that their research has successfully identified genetic risk factors of hereditary prostate cancer by screening a genetic database of families in Southern Louisiana with hereditary cases of prostate cancer. The work focuses on structural variations in the genes of these families to identify regions of interest containing copy number variations (CNVs), which are candidates for conferring genetic risk of developing prostate cancer.

Identification and validation of genetic risk factors

Professor Mandal’s group used linkage analysis and array comparative genomic hybridization to identify genomic regions of deletion or duplication in families with hereditary prostate cancer, known as CNVs. However, regions of interest found using these methodologies require further, more accurate validation. Prof Mandal states, “We used qPCR before to do the quantitative measurement of the deletions and duplications but then we came to know about ddPCR.”

Graduate student, Kirsten Wood, has been developing ddPCR assays using the QX200™ Droplet Digital PCR System, in collaboration with Bio-Rad to confirm and validate the previously identified regions of interest. As Kirsten explains, “qPCR offers relative quantification whereas ddPCR offers absolute quantification.” The greater sensitivity and precision of ddPCR is ideal for quantifying these germline mutations, which are rarer and more difficult to detect.

Future implications for precision medicine

Although these genetic abnormalities were identified in families with hereditary prostate cancer, they may also have implications for non-hereditary prostate cancer. Prof Mandal’s team are now investigating whether the same CNVs exist in non-hereditary cancer cases. Using this approach there is potential to identify genetic markers for prostate cancer susceptibility. This falls under the umbrella of precision medicine. In the future, men could be screened for confirmed genetic risk factors, enabling early preventative measures to be taken or enhancing early diagnosis to improve treatment outcomes. Ultimately, identification of genetic risk factors for prostate cancer could save lives and this strategy could be applied to other cancers.

Watch this video interview with Prof Mandal and find out more about the latest innovations in cancer research in our AACR 2016 special feature.

Do you use Bio-Rad’s QX200™ Droplet Digital PCR System? Tell us what you think, leave a review today.

Related products

Request Quote for All Products

Links

SelectScienceCompany website

Tags

PCR and Thermal CyclingPolymerase chain reaction (PCR) kits and thermal cyclers are used for the in vitro amplification of DNA permitting subsequent analysis and experimental procedures. Explore a range of high-quality polymerase, primers and nucleotides or simplify your workflow with a PCR mastermix. Find reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and cDNA synthesis kits for RNA products and libraries. Quantitatively measure the amplification of DNA with real-time PCR (qPCR) and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) kits and systems, and discover automated PCR setup solutions to increase throughput. Alternative DNA amplification methods also include recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) kits. Find the best PCR kits and thermal cyclers and purification equipment in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.SNPs TechnologySingle nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are individual base variations in a DNA sequence. SNPs are used in research to study predispositions to disease and drug discovery. Products for studying single nucleotide polymorphisms include SNP arrays and detection systems to detect polymorphisms, SNP typing systems for genotyping DNA, and PCR to amplify specific SNPs.DNA SequencingDNA sequencing, such as sanger sequencing, is a biological technique that determines the precise order of nucleotide bases in a fragment or template of DNA. DNA sequencers and genetic analyzers are based on capillary electrophoresis, where labeled DNA fragments are electrophoretically separated by size as they migrate through a polymer. Find the best DNA sequencing products, including DNA sequencing kits, genomic libraries and genetic identity kits in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.BiomarkersBiomarkers are biological markers which can be measured and evaluated to indicate a biological state. The use of biomarkers in research and diagnosis can indicate a normal or disease state or drug response of cells / tissues. Biomarkers include genetic markers, cell surface markers such as antigens, antibodies or receptors and secreted molecules such as cytokines. An assay system is required for identification of biomarkers. :Next Generation SequencingNext-generation sequencing (NGS), also known as whole-genome sequencing, high-throughput sequencing and massive parallel sequencing, produces and analyses thousands to millions of nucleotide sequences at once. Sequencing systems operate via varying technologies depending on the manufacturer, including sequencing by synthesis, ligation, pyrosequencing, ion semiconductor and single-molecule real-time sequencing. For NGS, library preparation is paramount to successful sequencing. In this section, explore a range of library preparation kits, from targeted, amplicon-based or hybridization-based kits including epigenomic, transcriptomic and genomic workflows to fragmentation kits. Find the best next-generation sequencing products in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Droplet Digital PCRDroplet digital PCR (ddPCR) is a method of quantitative PCR that partitions a sample into droplets, allowing precise detection of low-abundance targets. It is commonly used in gene expression analysis and mutation detection. Explore ddPCR systems in our peer-reviewed product directory; compare products, check reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.Cancer ResearchCancer research aims to understand the mechanisms of cancer development and progression to improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. From molecular biology to clinical trials, research spans a wide range of disciplines, including immunotherapy, targeted therapies, and drug discovery. Explore the best cancer research products in our peer-reviewed product directory; compare products, check reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.cancer geneticsrisk genesCopy Number Variation

Related articles