title: Analysis of c-Ki-ras mutations in human colon carcinoma by cell sorting, polymerase chain reaction, and DNA sequencing.
abstract: We have analyzed colon carcinomas by a combination of histological enrichment, cell sorting, polymerase chain reaction, and direct sequencing of the c-Ki-ras-2 gene. DNA was chemically extracted from 50-microns sections of paraffin-embedded colon carcinomas and amplified in vitro, and mutations were documented directly by DNA sequencing. Enrichment for tumor cells was obtained histologically and by sorting nuclei on the basis of DNA content differences. Mutations in codon 12 were present in both aneuploid and diploid subpopulations of sorted carcinomas, suggesting that these mutations precede ploidy alterations in the progression of these neoplasms. We have demonstrated the feasibility of utilizing DNA from tissues treated with different fixatives, including methyl carnoys, formalin, and Hollande's solution. This procedure allows one to retrospectively reconstruct the temporal relationship between the occurrence of mutations and sequential morphological changes during tumorigenic progression.
authors.affiliation: Joseph Gottstein Memorial Cancer Research Laboratory, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle 98195.
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Burmer
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Rabinovitch
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Loeb
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase