Abstract
Non-invasive screening that utilizes cell-free DNA (cfDNA) offers remarkable potential as a method for the early detection of genetic disorders and a wide variety of cancers. Unfortunately, one of the most prominent elements delaying the translation of cfDNA analyses to clinical practice is the lack of knowledge regarding its origin and composition. The elucidation of the origin of cfDNA is complicated by the apparently arbitrary variability of quantitative and qualitative characteristics of cfDNA in the blood of healthy as well as diseased individuals. These factors may contribute to false positive/negative results when applied to clinical pathology. Although many have acknowledged that this is a major problem, few have addressed it. We believe that many of the current difficulties encountered in in vivo cfDNA studies can be partially circumvented by in vitro models. The results obtained in this study indicate that the release of cfDNA from 143B cells is not a consequence of apoptosis, necrosis or a product of DNA replication, but primarily the result of actively released DNA, perhaps in association with a protein complex. Moreover, this study demonstrates the potential of in vitro cell culture models to obtain useful information about the phenomenon of cfDNA.
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Acknowledgement
AB and JA were supported by post-graduate scholarships from the National Research Foundation (NRF) South Africa. The financial assistance of the NRF is hereby acknowledged. Opinions expressed and conclusions arrived at are those of the authors and are not to be attributed to the NRF. We would also like to thank the North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa for additional financial support.
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The authors wish to declare no conflict of interest.
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Bronkhorst, A.J., Wentzel, J.F., Aucamp, J., van Dyk, E., du Plessis, L.H., Pretorius, P.J. (2016). An Enquiry Concerning the Characteristics of Cell-Free DNA Released by Cultured Cancer Cells. In: Gahan, P., Fleischhacker, M., Schmidt, B. (eds) Circulating Nucleic Acids in Serum and Plasma – CNAPS IX. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 924. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42044-8_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42044-8_4
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