INTRODUCTION: Nowadays, on-a-chip capillary electrophoresis is a routine method for the detection of PCR fragments. The Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer was one of the first commercial devices in this field. Our project was designed to study the characteristics of Agilent DNA 1000 kit in PCR fragment analysis as a part of circulating tumour cell (CTC) detection technique. Despite the common use of this kit a complex analysis of the results from a long-term project is still missing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A commercially available Agilent DNA 1000 kit was used as a final step in the CTC detection (AdnaTest) for the determination of the presence of PCR fragments generated by Multiplex PCR. Data from 30 prostate cancer patients obtained during two years of research were analyzed to determine the trueness and precision of the PCR fragment size determination. Additional experiments were performed to demonstrate the precision (repeatability, reproducibility) and robustness of PCR fragment concentration determination. RESULTS: The trueness and precision of the size determination was below 3% and 2% respectively. The repeatability of the concentration determination was below 15%. The difference in concentration determination increases when Multiplex-PCR/storage step is added between the two measurements of one sample. CONCLUSIONS: The characteristics established in our study are in concordance with the manufacturer's specifications established for a ladder as a sample. However, the concentration determination may vary depending on chip preparation, sample storage and concentration. The 15% variation of concentration determination repeatability was shown to be partly proportional and can be suppressed by proper normalization.

• Keywords
• Agilent DNA 1000 kit, capillary electrophoresis, circulating tumour cells, lab-on-a-chip devices, multiplex PCR,
• MeSH
• Actins genetics   MeSH
• Antigens, Surface genetics   MeSH
• DNA, Neoplasm genetics   MeSH
• ErbB Receptors genetics   MeSH
• Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II genetics   MeSH
• Lab-On-A-Chip Devices * MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction methods   MeSH
• Biomarkers, Tumor genetics   MeSH
• Neoplastic Cells, Circulating metabolism   MeSH
• Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant blood   genetics   MeSH
• Prostate-Specific Antigen genetics   MeSH
• Reagent Kits, Diagnostic MeSH
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic * MeSH
• Reproducibility of Results MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Actins MeSH
• Antigens, Surface MeSH
• DNA, Neoplasm MeSH
• ErbB Receptors MeSH
• FOLH1 protein, human MeSH Browser
• Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II MeSH
• Biomarkers, Tumor MeSH
• Prostate-Specific Antigen MeSH
• Reagent Kits, Diagnostic MeSH