AN EFFICIENT AND RELIABLE MULTIPLEX PCR-SSCP MUTATION ANALYSIS TEST APPLIED TO THE HUMAN E-CADHERIN GENE

The invasion suppressor gene E-CADHERIN (CDH1) is downregulated in a l arge variety of human carcinomas. Up to now, mutational analysis of th e CDH1 gene has been described for 325 tumors derived from only four d ifferent tissue types. A simple but sensitive mutation detection assay is needed to screen many more tumor types, possibly bearing E-cadheri n inactivating mutations. For that purpose, we developed a multiplex P CR-SSCP analysis for all 16 CDH1 exons, Ease of experimentation was co mbined with reliable sensitivity. Indeed, the present multiplex analys is reduces the number of manipulations to 50%, while the mutation dete ction turned out to be highly efficient and sensitive. (C) 1997 Wiley- Liss, Inc.