Liposome encapsulation of the internal control for whole process quality assurance of nucleic acid amplification-based assays

Abstract A system intended for whole process quality assurance of nucleic acid amplification assays was developed based on the use of liposomes as cell-mimicking vehicles for the internal control, allowing introduction of the internal control directly into the crude biological specimens. By the proof of principle testing, the Roche Cobas Amplicor® CT assay was chosen as model system and the Roche CT/NG Internal Control was thus loaded into the liposomes. The liposome/DNA particles were spiked into a Chlamydia trachomatis -positive urine specimen. A quantitative “in-house” duplex real-time C. trachomatis PCR assay showed that liposomes having Blue Dextran 2000 polysaccharide co-entrapped were the most suited particles as they were efficiently deposited by the centrifugation carried out according to the Roche urine specimen preparation procedure. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the liposome/DNA particles might be used for whole process quality assurance of Amplicor® assay without major modifications of the assay protocol. An additional feature of the use of these liposomes was that the pellet became blue coloured and that might facilitate a thorough removal of the urine supernatant without increasing the risk of disturbance of the pellet. Principally, the liposome/internal control system is versatile and seems to be applicable for whole process quality control of amplification-based assays for detection of various pathogens.