Multiplex Detection of Metastatic Breast Tissue Biomarkers by Fluorescence Spectroscopy
Abstract
Detection of primary lesions prior to the formation of late-stage metastatic tumors is crucial to
decreasing mortality rate in breast cancer cases. Research herein contains assays based around
three mRNA biomarkers including cytokeratin 19 (CK-19), prolactin inducible protein (PIP), and
human epidermal receptor 2 (HER2). These biomarkers are over expressed in breast tumor
tissue. Fluorescence molecular beacon detection was used to determine presence of biomarker
mRNA. Single MB-mRNA assays provide evidence of ability to detect biomarker mRNA with
complementary MBs. The fluorescence detection of biomarkers described herein offers several
advantages over current detection methods, providing quantitative accuracy, low limits of
detection, and specificity that is expected to result in few false positives and negatives. Our
multiplex assay has the additional advantages of efficiency and speed, allowing for higher
throughput of samples. Ultimately, multiplex MB-mRNA assays could allow enhanced accuracy,
precision, efficiency, and a further understanding of disease progression.