Researchers at University College Dublin are using Applied Biosystems's TaqMan low density arrays to find new therapeutic targets for melanoma and breast cancer.
William Gallagher's laboratory at University College Dublin carries out large-scale DNA microarray analysis on tumour samples or cell-based model systems, and uses the low density array cards to select and validate subsets of candidate genes whose expression levels are seen to change during tumour development.
"The TaqMan arrays are very useful because they allow you to follow up candidate genes on a high throughput level, but using a very small amount of material," said Gallagher, principal investigator at the Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research.
"The arrays detect changes in gene expression very well.
"For example, in one of our case studies, we found 66 genes that changed within our model system of melanoma according to our DNA microarray screen.
"We made a low density array card representing 44 of the 66 genes and, when we cross-correlated the DNA microarray and TaqMan assay data, we found an extremely high degree of concordance.
"Some of these genes have been previously implicated in cancers and one in particular is already being used in a gene therapy protocol.
"However, we have also found many genes that were not previously linked with tumour development.
"We are also interested in looking at things on a functional level and these cards give us a feel for whether a target is worth investigating functionally; we are hoping to rapidly expand on the technology to look at very large sets of samples."
