Optimized High Quality DNA Extraction from Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Human Atherosclerotic Lesions

Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues represent a valuable source for molecular analyses and clinical genomic studies. These tissues are often poor in cells or difficult to process. Therefore, nucleic acids need to be carefully isolated. In recent years, various methods for DNA isolation have been established for tissues from many diseases, mostly cancer. Unfortunately, genomic DNA extracted from FFPE tissues is highly degraded due to the cross-linking between nucleic acid strands and proteins, as well as random breakings in sequence. Therefore, DNA quality from these samples is markedly reduced, making it a challenge for further molecular downstream analyses. Other problems with difficult tissues are, for example, the lack of cells in calcified human atherosclerotic lesions and fatty tissue, small skin biopsies, and consequently low availability of the desired nucleic acids as it is also the case in old or fixed tissues.

In our laboratories, we have established a method for DNA extraction from formalin-fixed atherosclerotic lesions, using a semi-automated isolation system. We compared this method to other commercially available extraction protocols and focused on further downstream analyses. Purity and concentration of the DNA were measured by spectrometry and fluorometry. The degree of fragmentation and overall quality were assessed.

The highest DNA quantity and quality was obtained with the modified blood DNA protocol for the automated extraction system, instead of the commercial FFPE protocol. With this step-by-step protocol, DNA yields from FFPE samples were in average four times higher and fewer specimens failed the extraction process, which is critical when dealing with small-vessel biopsies. Amplicon sizes from 200–800 bp could be detected by PCR. This study shows that although DNA obtained from our FFPE tissue is highly fragmented, it can still be used for successful amplification and sequencing of shorter products. In conclusion, in our hands, the automated technology appears to be the best system for DNA extraction, especially for small FFPE tissue specimen.