Successful molecular analyses of human solid tissues require intact biological material with well-preserved nucleic acids, proteins, and other cell structures. Pre-analytical handling, comprising of the collection of material at the operating theatre, is among the first critical steps that influence sample quality. The aim of this study was to compare the experimental outcomes obtained from samples collected and stored by the conventional means of snap freezing and by PAXgene Tissue System (Qiagen). These approaches were evaluated by measuring rRNA and mRNA integrity of the samples (RNA Quality Indicator and Differential Amplification Method) and by gene expression profiling. The collection procedures of the biological material were implemented in two hospitals during colon cancer surgery in order to identify the impact of the collection method on the experimental outcome. Our study shows that the pre-analytical sample handling has a significant effect on the quality of RNA and on the variability of qPCR data. PAXgene collection mode proved to be more easily implemented in the operating room and moreover the quality of RNA obtained from human colon tissues by this method is superior to the one obtained by snap freezing.

• MeSH
• DNA, Neoplasm genetics   MeSH
• DNA Topoisomerases, Type I genetics   MeSH
• Nitrogen MeSH
• Tissue Fixation methods   MeSH
• Carcinoma chemistry   surgery   MeSH
• Colon chemistry   MeSH
• Cryopreservation instrumentation   methods   MeSH
• Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction instrumentation   methods   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Neoplasm Proteins biosynthesis   genetics   MeSH
• Colonic Neoplasms chemistry   surgery   MeSH
• Preservation, Biological instrumentation   methods   MeSH
• Specimen Handling instrumentation   methods   MeSH
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic MeSH
• Reproducibility of Results MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal genetics   MeSH
• Quality Control MeSH
• RNA, Neoplasm analysis   genetics   isolation & purification   MeSH
• RNA, Ribosomal, 18S genetics   MeSH
• Organ Preservation Solutions MeSH
• High-Throughput Screening Assays instrumentation   methods   MeSH
• Gene Expression Profiling methods   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Multicenter Study MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Comparative Study MeSH
• Names of Substances
• DNA, Neoplasm MeSH
• DNA Topoisomerases, Type I MeSH
• Nitrogen MeSH
• Neoplasm Proteins MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal MeSH
• RNA, Neoplasm MeSH
• RNA, Ribosomal, 18S MeSH
• Organ Preservation Solutions MeSH
• TOP1 protein, human MeSH Browser