Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) is used to study chromosomal changes in cancer. As cancer cells develop, they undergo dramatic chromosomal changes, including loss, duplication and the translocation of DNA from one chromosome to another. Understanding these changes is key to understanding cancer progression as well as developing possible therapies and prognostic and diagnostic tools.
"Genomic alterations leading to changes in the number of gene copies present in cells are important events in the genesis and progression of cancer," said Michael Bittner of the Translational Genomics Research Institute. "Agilent has now taken array-CGH experiments into a new realm of resolution, sensitivity, and reproducibility that allows reliable detection of alterations at the scale of individual genes and even introns and exons. This advancement, along with the possibility it provides to correlate genomic copy alterations with mRNA abundance and protein abundance, is going to incite a huge body of experimentation and publication among the cancer research community."
Originally, comparative genomic hybridization was done through the optical imaging of whole chromosomes, a technique with limited sensitivity, resolution, quantification and throughput. Efforts in recent years to use microarrays to overcome these limitations have been hampered by inadequate sensitivity, specificity and flexibility of the microarray platforms.
As detailed in the PNAS paper, Agilent's breakthrough is founded on the modification of its gene-expression profiling microarray technology to improve its utility for DNA analysis applications. This new platform provides very high sensitivity, enabling CGH researchers to reliably identify the single copy deletions in chromosomes that have been the most difficult to detect.
Agilent's array-CGH platform can use total genomic DNA to detect chromosomal changes across the entire genome. Several microarray providers have required scientists to significantly reduce the complexity of their genomic samples, usually by amplifying only specific DNA regions, to enable study. Researchers using Agilent's platform can use either amplified or non-amplified total genomic DNA in studies of the whole genome, providing better ease of use and improved experimental design.
Through the flexibility of Agilent's in situ, ink-jet-based microarray manufacturing, Agilent can deliver custom microarrays designed to explore either the entire genome or specific regions of interest, according to project need. Agilent plans to introduce a commercial microarray solution for whole genome array-CGH in late January, including method protocols, reagents and software. For more information, please contact your Agilent sales representative or e-mail cag_sales_na@agilent.com.
Agilent in Life Sciences
Agilent's Life Sciences and Chemical Analysis (LSCA) business is a world-leading provider of instruments, supplies, software and services to the life science and chemical analysis markets. In 2004, these markets accounted for approximately 40 percent and 60 percent respectively of LSCA's $1.3 billion in revenue. Agilent's LSCA business is a global organization with 3,700 employees, five international manufacturing sites, and worldwide sales and support services to more than 21,000 customer organizations in more than 70 countries. It is a leading provider of microarray, microfluidic, informatics, liquid chromatography, gas chromatography and mass spectrometry-based solutions to pharmaceutical, biotech, academic, government and chemical organizations.
About Agilent Technologies
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is a global technology leader in communications, electronics, life sciences and chemical analysis. The company's 28,000 employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had net revenue of $7.2 billion in fiscal year 2004. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com.
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