title: Application of 2D-DIGE to formalin-fixed diseased tissue samples from hospital repositories: results from four case studies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the recent past, the potential suitability of fixed samples to 2D-DIGE studies has been demonstrated on model tissues, but not on "real-world" archival tissues. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess the quality of the results delivered by 2D-DIGE on samples retrieved from hospital tissue repositories.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diseased and normal tissue samples (namely, human gastric adenocarcinoma and normal gastric tissue, human lung neuroendocrine tumors, canine mammary tubulo-papillary carcinoma and normal mammary tissue, sheep liver with cloudy swelling degeneration and normal liver tissue) were retrieved from human and veterinary biorepositories and subjected to full-length protein extraction, cyanine labeling, 2D-DIGE separation, image analysis, MS analysis, and protein identification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Archival samples could be successfully subjected to 2D-DIGE, providing maps of satisfactory resolution, although with varying pattern complexity (possibly influenced by preanalytical variables). Moreover, differentially expressed protein identities were consistent with the disease biology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  2D-DIGE can support biomarker discovery and validation studies on large sample cohorts. In fact, although some information complexity is lost when compared to fresh-frozen tissues, their vast availability and the associated patient information can considerably boost studies suffering limited sample availability or involving long-distance exchange of samples.
authors.affiliation: Porto Conte Ricerche Srl, Tramariglio, Alghero, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tanca
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pisanu
authors.forename: Grazia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Biosa
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pagnozzi
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Antuofermo
authors.forename: Giovanni P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Burrai
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Canzonieri
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cossu-Rocca
authors.forename: Valli
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Re
authors.forename: Albino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eccher
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fanciulli
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rocca
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uzzau
authors.forename: Maria Filippa
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Addis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D004285:Dogs; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D040901:Proteomics; D012756:Sheep; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry; D014015:Tissue Banks; D016707:Tissue Fixation / Q000379:methods*; D057825:Two-Dimensional Difference Gel Electrophoresis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011506:Proteins; D005557:Formaldehyde