Expression Analysis Introduces New Globin-Reduction Service.

DURHAM, N.C. -- Expression Analysis, Inc. has enhanced their RNA isolation services by incorporating globin mRNA reduction processes when using whole blood from PreAnalytiX PAXgene(TM) Blood RNA Tubes or Applied Biosystems Tempus(TM) Blood RNA Tubes. By reducing interference from globin mRNA, the new service provides increased sensitivity of detection of microarray transcripts.

As gene expression profiling of human blood plays an increasingly important role in human drug development and diagnostics, this breakthrough could have a substantial impact on monitoring the status of the human immune system.

"We are pleased to offer our clients such an innovative and beneficial technique," said Expression Analysis President and CEO Steve McPhail. "Using whole blood for transcription profiling clearly gives investigators and pharmaceutical companies more flexibility in the source of their specimens while achieving higher sensitivity of detection of genetic changes."

The current industry standard uses purified peripheral blood mononuclear cells as the source for RNA. This system often results in a relatively high proportion of mRNAs encoding the globin polypeptides. The globin mRNAs tend to reduce the sensitivity of hybridization results, potentially obscuring clinically relevant information. The current solution, fractionating whole blood to separate red cells from mononuclear cells, increases the sensitivity of the hybridization results but potentially alters the gene expression profiles. Commercial products are available to stabilize the profiles, but often result in a substantial representation of globin mRNA.

According to Expression Analysis Laboratory Director Dr. Thomas Goralski, "We have needed a procedure that minimizes globin mRNA interference for array hybridization experiments. That is precisely the procedure that PreAnalytiX and Affymetrix developed and that we're now offering at Expression Analysis."

Expression Analysis, Inc. (www.expressionanalysis.com http://www.expressionanalysis.com/ ) is a full-service microarray genetics testing and analysis organization dedicated to providing clients with the highest quality genomic processing and data analysis services using Affymetrix GeneChip(R) brand technology. This technology applies the principles of semiconductor technology to life sciences, making it possible to qualitatively and quantitatively measure gene expression levels in a number of biologically relevant organisms, quickly and with more reliable results. EA is one of the few U.S.-based authorized service providers for Affymetrix (www.affymetrix.com http://www.affymetrix.com/), a California-based company that develops and commercializes systems to help researchers explore the relationship between genes and human health.