Summary
Formalin fixed and paraffin embedded tissue (FFPE) collections in pathology departments are the largest resource for retrospective biomedical research studies. Based on the literature analysis of FFPE related research, as well as our own technical validation, we present the Translational Research Arrays (TRARESA), a tissue microarray centred, hospital based, translational research conceptual framework for both validation and/or discovery of novel biomarkers. TRARESA incorporates the analysis of protein, DNA and RNA in the same samples, correlating with clinical and pathological parameters from each case, and allowing (a) the confirmation of new biomarkers, disease hypotheses and drug targets, and (b) the postulation of novel hypotheses on disease mechanisms and drug targets based on known biomarkers. While presenting TRARESA, we illustrate the use of such a comprehensive approach. The conceptualisation of the role of FFPE-based studies in translational research allows the utilisation of this commodity, and adds to the hypothesis-generating armamentarium of existing high-throughput technologies.
| Abbreviations | ||
| BCC | = | basal cell carcinoma |
| c-erbB-2/HER2-neu | = | human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, erbB-2 |
| DHPLC | = | denaturing high performance liquid chromatography |
| DNA | = | deoxyribonucleic acid |
| EGFR | = | epidermal growth factor receptor |
| ER | = | oestrogen receptor |
| FFPE | = | formalin fixed and paraffin embedded |
| GIST | = | gastrointestinal stromal tumour |
| PCR | = | polymerase chain reaction |
| PR | = | progestogen receptor |
| RNA | = | ribonucleic acid |
| SHH | = | Sonic Hedgehog |
| TMA | = | tissue microarrays |
| TRARESA | = | translational research arrays |
| TGF-β | = | transforming growth factor beta |
| VEGF | = | vascular endothelial growth factor |
| Abbreviations | ||
| BCC | = | basal cell carcinoma |
| c-erbB-2/HER2-neu | = | human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, erbB-2 |
| DHPLC | = | denaturing high performance liquid chromatography |
| DNA | = | deoxyribonucleic acid |
| EGFR | = | epidermal growth factor receptor |
| ER | = | oestrogen receptor |
| FFPE | = | formalin fixed and paraffin embedded |
| GIST | = | gastrointestinal stromal tumour |
| PCR | = | polymerase chain reaction |
| PR | = | progestogen receptor |
| RNA | = | ribonucleic acid |
| SHH | = | Sonic Hedgehog |
| TMA | = | tissue microarrays |
| TRARESA | = | translational research arrays |
| TGF-β | = | transforming growth factor beta |
| VEGF | = | vascular endothelial growth factor |