title: An alternative protocol for DNA extraction from formalin fixed and paraffin wax embedded tissue.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  DNA extraction from paraffin wax embedded tissue requires special protocols, and most described methods report an amplification success rate of 60-80%.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To propose a simple and inexpensive protocol consisting of xylene/ethanol dewaxing, followed by a kit based extraction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Xylene/ethanol dewaxing was followed by a long rehydration step and a kit based DNA extraction step.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This method produced a 100% amplification success rate for fragments of 121 to 227 bp for tamponated formalin fixed paraffin wax embedded tissue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This cost effective and non-laborious protocol can successfully extract DNA from tamponated formalin fixed paraffin wax embedded tissue and should facilitate the molecular analysis of a large number of archival specimens in retrospective studies.
authors.affiliation: Genetics and Molecular Biology Post-graduation Program, Federal University from Rio Grande do Sul, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil, CEP 90035-003. recoura@hotmail.com
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Coura
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Prolla
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meurer
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ashton-Prolla
mesh_terms: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000431:Ethanol; D005557:Formaldehyde; D006801:Humans; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D016707:Tissue Fixation; D014992:Xylenes
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D014992:Xylenes; D005557:Formaldehyde; D000431:Ethanol