Improving Microarray Assay Performance with Ratiometric Controls
Author Information
Author(s): Pine P Scott, Barry A Rosenzweig, Karol L Thompson
Primary Institution: Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration
Hypothesis
Can mixed tissue ratiometric controls improve the performance of gene expression microarrays in clinical laboratories?
Conclusion
The study demonstrated that using commercially available mixed tissue samples can enhance the diagnostic performance and reliability of microarray assays.
Supporting Evidence
- Ratiometric controls were prepared from high-quality RNA from human tissues with different expression profiles.
- Small but statistically significant differences in diagnostic performance were observed between standardized assays and alternative methods.
- The reliable range of measurement was improved by adjusting sample hybridization conditions.
Takeaway
This study shows that mixing different types of human tissue RNA can help labs do better tests with gene expression microarrays, making them more reliable.
Methodology
The study involved preparing mixed tissue ratiometric controls from high-quality RNA, processing them with various labeling protocols, and measuring diagnostic performance using ROC plots.
Potential Biases
Potential biases may arise from variations in RNA quality and labeling methods.
Limitations
The study is limited to Affymetrix gene expression arrays and may not apply to other platforms.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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