High-resolution melting analysis for rapid detection of KRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA gene mutations in colorectal cancer

Am J Clin Pathol. 2008 Aug;130(2):247-53. doi: 10.1309/LWDY1AXHXUULNVHQ.

Abstract

High-resolution melting analysis (HRMA) provides a valid approach to efficiently detect DNA genetic and somatic mutations. In this study, HRMA was used for the screening of 116 colorectal cancers (CRCs) to detect hot-spot mutations in the KRAS and BRAF oncogenes. Mutational hot spots on the PIK3CA gene, exons 9 and 20, were also screened. Direct sequencing was used to confirm and characterize HRMA results. HRMA revealed abnormal melting profiles in 65 CRCs (56.0%), 16 of them harboring mutations in 2 different genes simultaneously. The frequency of mutations was 17.2% for PIK3CA (11.2% in exon 9 and 6.0% in exon 20), 43.1% for KRAS exon 2, and 9.5% in exon 15 of the BRAF gene. We found a significant association between PIK3CA and KRAS mutations (P = .008), whereas KRAS and BRAF mutations were mutually exclusive (P = .001). This report describes a novel approach for the detection of PIK3CA somatic mutations by HRMA.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics*
  • DNA Mutational Analysis / methods*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mutation*
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • ras Proteins / genetics*

Substances

  • KRAS protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
  • PIK3CA protein, human
  • BRAF protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)
  • ras Proteins