POSTMORTEM STABILITY OF TOTAL RNA ISOLATED FROM RABBIT LIGAMENT, TENDON AND CARTILAGE

The stability of RNA, particularly mRNA, in tissues is under complex r egulation. Most studies to date have focused on very cellular tissues and not connective tissues such as ligaments, tendons and cartilage. A s the availability of such tissues for transplantation or research pur poses is frequently delayed following death, it is important to determ ine whether RNA stability in such tissues is influenced by time postmo rtem. To approach this question, skeletally mature NZW rabbits were us ed to investigate RNA integrity over time in dense, hypocellular conne ctive tissues and in several hypercellular tissues such as brain, kidn ey, liver and lung. Samples were analyzed at varying intervals postmor tem with respect to rRNA integrity by agarose gel electrophoresis and ethidium bromide staining and mRNA integrity by Northern blot analysis and RT-PCR. No degradation of rRNA or loss in integrity of mRNA for g enes of low and high copy number was observed up to 96h postmortem. Th ese findings confirm that it is likely appropriate to use properly sto red postmortem dense connective tissues for molecular biological inves tigations. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.