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Analysis of DNA Sequences in Forty-Year-Old Paraffin-embedded Thin-Tissue Sections: A Bridge between Molecular Biology and Classical Histology¹

Department of Pathology, Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90033 [D. S., W. J. M.], and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-0371 [N. A.]

DNA sequences from human tissues paraffin embedded 40 yr ago were studied using the in vitro gene amplification technique known as the polymerase chain reaction. Although significant DNA degradation was observed, single copy genomic sequences and viral segments were readily detected from single 5- to 10-µm tissue sections. This demonstrates that the world-wide collection of archival paraffin-embedded tissues may be used to study the association of biological agents (viral, bacterial, or parasitic) or endogenous DNA lesions with disease over time and to carry out retrospective studies on material where the clinical outcome has already been established. This will be especially valuable in studying rare cancers and other rare diseases.

¹ Supported in part by Diatech (Cooperative Agreement DPE-5935-A-00-5065-00 between the Program for Applied Technology and United States Agency for International Development) and NIH Grant GM 36745 (N. A.).

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

Received 2/26/88. Revised 5/ 6/88. Accepted 5/18/88.

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