Gene Expression Analysis

Labcorp now offers ddPCR technology to allow nucleic acid quantification with ultrasensitivity and high precision using Bio-Rad’s QX200 System. ddPCR enables absolute quantification of molecular targets that are undetectable with traditional techniques.

A recent addition to Labcorp’s service portfolio, NanoString’s nCounter® Analysis System and the GeoMx® Digital Spatial Profiler (DSP) can be used to inform how a drug modulates gene expression and the signaling pathways that regulate tumor growth.

The NanoString nCounter® allows for analysis of up to 800 RNA, DNA or protein targets simultaneously with high sensitivity and precision. The system utilizes molecular “barcodes” and single molecule imaging to quantitate hundreds of unique transcripts in a single sample.

Other key advantages of using the NanoString nCounter® include:

• A number of “off-the-shelf panels” for oncology (human and mouse) available, customizable to include up to 55 additional unique targets
• Optimized for challenging sample types (FFPE, tissue, lysates and biofluids)
• Only low amounts of precious sample material required
• Accurate and faster than qPCR (no amplification requirements) and simpler than next generation sequencing

While NanoString nCounter® provides great quantitative data on gene or protein expression levels from tumor samples, spatial context is key to gaining further insights into tissue biology. NanoString GeoMx® DSP is the spatial biology solution and it can be used to gain a deeper understanding of the tumor and the complex interactions within the tumor microenvironment.

The NanoString GeoMx® DSP technology builds upon the highly robust NanoString nCounter® digital barcode technology, providing morphological context and high-plex protein or gene expression profiling from just one prepared slide sample. The technology uses software that offers tremendous flexibility when selecting a region-of-interest strategy (geometric, segmentation, cell-type specific, contour, gridded) to visualize spatial architecture and analyze multiple biomarkers of a tissue sample. The data analysis software in GeoMx® DSP supports easy visualization and interpretation of data. High-resolution images can be displayed alongside quantitative profiling data, allowing interaction with either dataset in real time.

Labcorp is the only preclinical CRO, globally, to offer NanoString’s GeoMx® DSP technology.

In addition to being utilized as a standalone in vitro service for genetic expression screening using cell-based models, NanoString may also be used in an ex vivo setting to analyze the drug mechanism of action in in vivo animal models, thereby offering the ability to screen multiple therapeutics to identify promising lead compounds.

We use a StepOnePlus™ Real-Time PCR System that can read four different colors in a 96-well plate and supports assays such as SNP genotyping, gene expression analysis, microRNA expression, translocation analysis, and gene detection. Our PCR specialists can help you to determine the expression of specific genes in cultured cells, fresh tissues, or frozen tissues. Whether you need to measure the expression of genes in different cell lines, strains of mice, tissues, or tumors, or monitor the expression of different genes with different treatments, our PCR specialists can help you design a study that’s right for you.

Gene expression profiling is the measurement of the activity (the expression) of thousands of genes at once to create a global picture of cellular function. The RNA is sequenced using next-generation sequencing, quantified, and aligned to thousands of known RNA sequences from specific genes. These profiles can, for example, distinguish between cells that are actively dividing, show how the cells react to a particular treatment, or determine which genes are differentially expressed in different cell lines, strains of mice, tissues, or tumors. Labcorp collaborates with a partner laboratory that specializes in sequencing the RNA. Once we obtain the sequencing information, we have the software to quantify, align, and analyze the data. We can compare the expression of single genes, sets of related genes, groups of pathway-specific or process-specific genes, and entire genomes between samples and display the comparative results in straightforward graphs and figures.