Pilot study of DNA extraction from archival unstained bone marrow slides: comparison of three rapid methods

Abstract

DNA can be isolated from a variety of human sample sources including anti-coagulant whole blood, bloodstains, hairs, tissue samples and buccal epithelial cells. The purpose of this study was to compare yield and quality of DNA samples obtained with the use of three different methods. The ability of these procedures to provide DNA for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification from archival unstained bone marrow slides was tested on 35 different patients’ slides. Boiling in distilled water (A), proteinase K/Tween 35 method coupled with simplified phenol/chloroform isoamyl alcohol protocol (B) and modified commercial nucleon extraction and purification protocol (C, Amersham Life Science) gave extraction efficiencies of 57, 74 and 100% respectively. Our results demonstrate that rough DNA extraction methods have decreased efficiencies compared to complete DNA extraction protocols and that the latter are required to ensure highly reproducible results from archival unstained bone marrow slides.

Key words: DNA, polymerase chain reaction, bone marrow slides, reagent kit