Time-resolved fluorometric hybridization assays with RNA probes synthesized from polymerase chain reaction-generated DNA templates

DNA templates suitable for direct synthesis of RNA probes are produced by the polymerase chain reaction. The nucleic acid sequence of interest is amplified using a downstream primer carrying the T7 RNA polymerase promoter sequence. The modified primer is incorporated into the amplified DNA, which is subsequently used for RNA probe synthesis in the presence of T7 RNA polymerase and a hapten-labeled ribonucleotide (digoxigenin-UTP). As a model, we prepared RNA probes specific for the BCR-ABL mRNA characteristic of chronic myelogenous leukemia. The probes are used in time-resolved fluorometric hybridization assays. Mixtures of BCR-ABL positive and negative cells, as well as whole blood samples, are analyzed. The sample mRNA is amplified using a biotinylated upstream primer. The amplified product (target DNA) is captured onto streptavidin-coated wells and hybridized to the RNA probe. The hybrids are detected with an alkaline phosphatase (ALP)-labeled antibody. ALP hydrolyzes the phosphate ester of fluorosalicylic acid, and the fluorosalicylate produced forms highly fluorescent ternary complexes with Tb(3+)-EDTA, which can be quantified by measuring the Tb3+ fluorescence in a time-resolved mode. As low as 0.4 fmol of target DNA can be detected. Also, a single leukemic cell may be detected in the presence of 0.5 million "normal" cells.