title: SPMSP: a solid-phase PCR with colorimetric read-out for quantitative methylation analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As DNA methylation has been determined as an important diagnostic biomarker in cancer management, methods for the detection of quantitative DNA methylation which are high-throughput and low-cost are needed.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this work, we introduce the solid-phase methylation-specific PCR (SPMSP) as a method for quantitative methylation analysis. SPMSP combines methylation-specific DNA amplification on a solid phase with subsequent colorimetric detection in an ELISA-based format.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In contrast to existing methods for quantitative methylation analysis, SPMSP can be carried out with standard laboratory equipment, i.e. a thermocycler and an ELISA reader. With this method, DNA methylation in the promoter of the APC tumour suppressor gene was quantified in a set of colorectal carcinoma samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As SPMSP can be modified to the analysis of other promoter sequences and is also adaptable to a high-throughput system, SPMSP offers a platform for methylation profiling with widespread applications in cancer research and management.
authors.affiliation: CMax Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany. sonja.sievers@mpi-dortmund.mpg.de
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sievers
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fritzsch
authors.forename: Cornelius
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kuhnen
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Müller