title: Comparative analysis between saliva and buccal swabs as source of DNA: lesson from HLA-B*57:01 testing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our work aimed to designate the optimal DNA source for pharmacogenetic assays, such as the screening for HLA-B*57:01 allele.
  
  
  METHODS
  A saliva and four buccal swab samples were taken from 104 patients. All the samples were stored at different time and temperature conditions and then genotyped for the HLA-B*57:01 allele by SSP-PCR and classical/capillary electrophoresis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The genotyping analysis reported different performance rates depending on the storage conditions of the samples. Given our results, the buccal swab demonstrated to be more resistant and stable in time with respect to the saliva.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our investigation designates the buccal swab as the optimal DNA source for pharmacogenetic assays in terms of resistance, low infectivity, low-invasiveness and easy sampling, and safe transport in centralized medical centers providing specialized pharmacogenetic tests.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedicine & Prevention, School of Medicine, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata,' Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cascella
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedicine & Prevention, School of Medicine, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata,' Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stocchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedicine & Prevention, School of Medicine, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata,' Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Strafella
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, 'Sapienza' University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Ivano
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mezzaroma
authors.affiliation: University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mannazzu
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, 'Sapienza' University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vullo
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine & Clinical Immunology Unit, 'San Giovanni' Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Montella
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Unit, Pescara General Hospital, Pescara, Italy.
authors.forename: Giustino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parruti
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedicine & Prevention, School of Medicine, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata,' Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Borgiani
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedicine & Prevention, School of Medicine, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata,' Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sangiuolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedicine & Prevention, School of Medicine, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata,' Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Novelli
authors.affiliation: ViiV Healthcare, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pirazzoli
authors.affiliation: Molecular Genetics Laboratory UILDM, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.|Neuromed IRCCS, Pozzilli, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zampatti
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedicine & Prevention, School of Medicine, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata,' Rome, Italy.|Molecular Genetics Laboratory UILDM, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Emiliano
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Giardina
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D015235:HLA-B Antigens / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000737:chemistry*; D010597:Pharmacogenetics / Q000379:methods; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D015235:HLA-B Antigens; C484830:HLA-B*57:01 antigen; D004247:DNA
keywords: DNA source; HLA-B*57:01 testing; hypersensitivity reaction; molecular assay; personalized medicine; pharmacogenetics