Advantages of in situ hybridisation over direct or indirect in situ reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction for localisation of galanin mRNA expression in rat small intestine and pituitary

Expression analysis of mRNA in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded archival tissues by mRNA in situ hybridization

Gene expression in diseased tissues can indicate the contribution to a disease process and potentially guide therapeutic decision-making. Archival tissues with associated clinical outcome may be useful to discover or validate the role of a candidate gene in a disease process or the response to therapy. Such archival tissues are commonly formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded, restricting the methods available for gene expression analysis. Obviously, the detection of proteins in tissues requires adaptation for each protein and the detection of secreted proteins can prove difficult or of reduced value since the protein detected may not reflect the total amount produced. Thus, we describe here a reliable method for the detection of mRNA in archival tissues. The method for mRNA in situ hybridization (ISH) was adapted by us for >15 different genes and applied to several hundred tissue microarrays (TMAs) and full sections generating >10,000 expression data points. We also discuss the utility of TMAs to simultaneously analyze several hundred tissue samples on one slide to minimize variability and preserve valuable tissue samples. Experimental protocols are provided that can be implemented without major hurdles in a typical molecular pathology laboratory and we discuss quantitative analysis as well as advantages and limitations of ISH with a special focus on secreted proteins. We conclude that ISH is a reliable and cost effective approach to gene expression analysis in archival tissues that is amenable to screening of series of tissues or of genes of interest.

Multiple gene detection by in situ RT-PCR in isolated plant cells and tissues

With the number of functional genomic approaches in plant biology increasing daily, the demand for rapid and reliable RNA localization techniques for gene characterization is being felt. We present herein a novel, liquid phase in situ RT-PCR (IS-RT-PCR) protocol using a combination of gene-specific fluorescent primers and spectral confocal microscopy to localize target RNA in epicotyl sections and xylogenic suspension cultures of Zinnia elegans. Potential sources of artefacts from fixation to gene detection were systematically eliminated using both fluorescent primers and nucleotides for 18S rRNA gene detection, resulting in a set of optimal parameters for IS-RT-PCR that may be readily adapted to any target gene. By judiciously choosing fluorescent primers with non-overlapping fluorochromes, we have shown that our technique is readily adapted to multiplex IS-RT-PCR, enabling the simultaneous localization of more than one gene within a complex tissue or heterogeneous cell population. A 6-carboxy-2',4,4',5',7,7'-hexachlorofluorescein (6-HEX)-labelled primer and a tetrachloro-6-carboxy-fluorescein (TET)-labelled primer were designed for two marker genes associated with programmed cell death in tracheary elements (TEs): an endonuclease (Zen1) and a cysteine protease (ZcP4), respectively. An additional Cyan5 (Cy5)-labelled primer was used to monitor 18SrRNA expression. As expected, the 18S signal was constitutively expressed throughout epicotyls sections and living cells in xylogenic in vitro cultures, whereas Zen1 and ZcP4 were co-localized in forming TEs both in planta and in vitro. Analogous to clustering analysis of gene expression using microarrays to elucidate common metabolic pathways and developmental processes, this novel technique is perfectly adapted to gaining a better understanding of gene function via the coordinated expression of genes in specific cell types of complex tissues and cell populations.

Application of in situ reverse trancriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to tissue microarrays

Detection of disease-associated gene transcripts in primary disease tissues is frequently confounded by the presence of non-involved cell types. Alternative methods of detecting gene expression directly within tissues involve either the generation of antibodies, which can be a lengthy process and may suffer from lack of specificity, or amplification of reverse-transcribed cDNA in tissue sections (in situ RT-PCR). The latter method is highly specific and enables detection of transcripts in the cells originally responsible for their synthesis, but is highly destructive of tissue structures and can be carried out on only one or a few sections per experiment, resulting in low reproducibility. In this study, in situ RT-PCR was applied for the first time to commercially available tissue section microarrays enabling the examination of up to 70 different samples simultaneously. Modifications to the technique are detailed that preserved visible tissue and cellular structures and improved transcript detection whilst preventing significant generation of artefacts.

Recent developments in signal amplification methods for in situ hybridization

In situ hybridization (ISH) allows for the histologic and cytologic localization of DNA and RNA targets. However, the application of ISH techniques can be limited by their inability to detect targets with low copies of DNA and RNA. During the last few years, several strategies have been developed to improve the sensitivity of ISH by amplification of either target nucleic acid sequences prior to ISH or signal detection after the hybridization is completed. Current approaches involving target amplification (in situ PCR, primed labeling, self-sustained sequence replication), signal amplification (tyramide signal amplification, branched DNA amplification), and probe amplification (padlock probes and rolling circle amplification) are reviewed with emphasis on their applications to bright field microscopy. More recent developments such as molecular beacons and in situ strand displacement amplification continue to increase the sensitivity of in situ hybridization methods. Application of some of these techniques has extended the utility of ISH in diagnostic pathology and in research because of the ability to detect targets with low copy numbers of DNA and RNA.

Gender- and age-dependent changes in kidney androgen protein mRNA expression in a knockout mouse model for nephrolithiasis

Kidney androgen-regulated protein (Kap) is the most abundant protein in the mouse kidney, but its function is unknown. We previously observed a significant decrease in Kap mRNA expression in whole kidney tissue from male mice with adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) deficiency and 2,8-dihydroxyadenine (DHA) nephrolithiasis. The disease phenotype is more severe in male mice and is age-dependent. To identify the cellular basis for differential Kap expression, we used in situ hybridization (ISH) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction ISH (RT-PCR ISH) to identify the cell types expressing this mRNA in paraffin-embedded kidney sections. In 1-month-old wild-type male mice, Kap was detected primarily in S3 proximal tubule segments, but expression was very low in female mice. In 1-month-old APRT-deficient male mice, Kap expression was decreased significantly and was undetectable in female mice. Kap mRNA was not detected in 3- or 6-month-old mice using our standard ISH protocol, but we observed intense cytoplasmic staining in S3 proximal tubules in wild-type male mice of these age groups using an improved RT-PCR ISH procedure. Our studies demonstrate age-, gender-, and APRT genotype-dependent changes in Kap mRNA expression in mouse kidney. Kap expression is under multihormonal control, and hormonal changes in DHA-induced nephrolithiasis may account for the decreased Kap expression in APRT-deficient mice.