Quantitative Analysis of Tyrosinase Transcripts in Blood

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Tyrosinase is an enzyme unique to pigment-forming cells. Methods using this transcript for detection of melanoma cells in blood have given divergent results. Quantitative analytical procedures are therefore needed to study the analytical performance of the methods. Mononucleated cells were isolated by Percoll centrifugation. RNA was isolated by each of three methods: Ultraspec(TM)-II RNA isolation system, FastRNA(TM) GREEN Kit, and QIAamp RNA Blood Mini Kit. cDNA was synthesized using random hexamer primers. A tyrosinase-specific product of 207 bp was amplified by PCR. As an internal standard (and competitor) we used a 207-bp cDNA with a base sequence identical to the tyrosinase target except for a 20-bp probe-binding region. The PCR products were identified by 2, 4-dinitrophenol (DNP)-labeled probes specific for tyrosinase (5'DNP-GGGGAGCCTTGGGGTTCTGG-3') and internal standard (5'DNP-CGGAGCCCCGAAACCACATC-3') and quantified by ELISA. The calibration curves were linear and had a broad dynamic measuring range. A detection limit (2 SD above zero) of 48 transcripts/mL of blood was obtained from a low control. The analytical imprecision was 50% and 48% at concentrations of 1775 and 17 929 transcripts/mL (n = 12 and 14, respectively). With the cell line SK-Mel 28 added to blood and RNA extracted with the Ultraspec, Fast RNA, and QIAamp RNA methods, we found (mean +/- SD) 1716+/-1341, 2670+/-3174, and 24 320+/-5332 transcripts/mL of blood. Corresponding values were 527+/-497, 2497+/-1033, 14 930+/-1927 transcripts/mL of blood when the cell line JKM86-4 was added. One high-risk patient was followed by repeated analysis of tyrosinase transcripts in blood. The melanoma marker 5-S-cysteinyldopa in serum and urine was within reference values, but tyrosinase mRNA was slightly increased (120-168 transcripts/mL of blood). The tyrosinase mRNA increased to 1860 transcripts/mL concomitant with the increase in 5-S-cysteinyldopa; later a spleen metastasis was found. The results obtained with different RNA extraction methods illustrate the importance of quantitative methods for validation of methods. The use of QIAamp RNA improved the extraction efficiency considerably. Data from a case study suggest the assay is suitable in the follow-up of patients with high risk of developing metastases.