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A ‘Waterfall’ Transfer-based Workflow for Improved Quality of Tissue Microarray Construction and Processing in Breast Cancer Research

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Pathology & Oncology Research

Abstract

A major focus in cancer research is the identification of biomarkers for early diagnosis, therapy prediction and prognosis. Hereby, validation of target proteins on clinical samples is of high importance. Tissue microarrays (TMAs) represent an essential advancement for high-throughput analysis by assembling large numbers of tissue cores with high efficacy and comparability. However, limitations along TMA construction and processing exist. In our presented study, we had to overcome several obstacles in the construction and processing of high-density breast cancer TMAs to ensure good quality sections for further research. Exemplarily, 406 breast tissue cores from formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded samples of 245 patients were placed onto three recipient paraffin blocks. Sectioning was performed using a rotary microtome with a “waterfall” automated transfer system. Sections were stained by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence for nine proteins. The number and quality of cores after sectioning and staining was counted manually for each marker. In total, 97.1 % of all cores were available after sectioning, while further 96 % of the remaining cores were evaluable after staining. Thereby, normal tissue cores were more often lost compared to tumor tissue cores. Our workflow provides a robust method for manufacturing high-density breast cancer TMAs for subsequent IHC or IF staining without significant sample loss.

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Acknowledgments

This study was performed on behalf of the Interdisciplinary Center for Biobanking—Lübeck (ICB-L) and in connection to the Surgical Center for Translational Oncology—Lübeck (SCTO-L), the North German Tumorbank of Colorectal Cancer (ColoNet), the latter being generously supported by the German Cancer Aid Foundation (DKH e.V. # 108446) and the European Union 7th Framework Programme (FLUODIAMON #201837).

Author Disclosure Statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section for Translational Surgical Oncology and Biobanking, Department of Surgery, University of Lübeck and University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538, Lübeck, Germany

    M. Oberländer, H. Alkemade, S. Bünger, F. Ernst & J. K. Habermann

  2. Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany

    C. Thorns

  3. Institute of Pathology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany

    T. Braunschweig

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  1. M. Oberländer
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  2. H. Alkemade
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  3. S. Bünger
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  4. F. Ernst
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  5. C. Thorns
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  6. T. Braunschweig
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  7. J. K. Habermann
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Correspondence to J. K. Habermann.

Additional information

M. Oberländer, H. Alkemade, S. Bünger and F. Ernst shared authorship.

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Oberländer, M., Alkemade, H., Bünger, S. et al. A ‘Waterfall’ Transfer-based Workflow for Improved Quality of Tissue Microarray Construction and Processing in Breast Cancer Research. Pathol. Oncol. Res. 20, 719–726 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12253-014-9752-3

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