Checking Up On Genes DNA Microarray Lab

Your Role You are oncologists specializing in breast cancer Use DNA microarray analysis on two patients (Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Brown) Determine their gene expression profile Use each patient’s profile to decide on her course of treatment (personalized medicine)

DNA Microarrays Used to determine the expression levels of a few or thousands of genes Collect cancerous tissue samples mRNA is isolated and used to make cDNA Microarray: collection of microscopic spots of DNA attached to glass, plastic or silicon chip cDNA is applied to microarray and scanned to determine gene expression levels

Your Patients Patient 1: Mrs. Jones 46-year-old African-American woman No family history of breast cancer Patient 2: Mrs. Brown 63-year-old Caucasian woman History of breast cancer on mother’s side of the family

Genes Being Tested ESR-1, ABC-C6, BCL2, DPYPD, TOP2A, GSTP1, CDC2, GATA3, DHFR, ERB-B2, ABC-B2, MT1, TGFB3, ANXA, GRB7

DNA Microarray Results Dark pink: gene is strongly expressed (+) Light pink: gene is strongly repressed (-) Clear: neither strongly expressed nor repressed (0)

Gene Locations on Array Patient 1 Profile 1 2 3 4 5 6 A B Patient 2 Profile Dark pink: gene is strongly expressed (+) Light pink: gene is strongly repressed (-) Clear: neither strongly expressed nor repressed (0)

Cancer Therapy Options Interpret and record your results. Use the results of your microarray analysis to determine which therapies might be indicated for each patient.