QUANTITATIVE-ANALYSIS OF SPECIFIC MESSENGER-RNA TRANSCRIPTS USING A COMPETITIVE PCR ASSAY WITH ELECTROCHEMILUMINESCENT DETECTION

Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has been wide ly utilized for both the qualitative and quantitative assessment of th e levels of specific mRNA transcripts in living systems. Quantitation of specific transcripts has often proved to be problematic because of the difficulty associated with relating the PCR-amplified product to t he starting cDNA representing the mRNA of interest. We have overcome t hese difficulties and have developed a competitive PCR assay employing the property of electrochemiluminescence for the detection of PCR pro ducts. This assay possesses the dual advantage of being both nonradioa ctive and highly sensitive.