Demonstration ofCD44geneexpression in cells fromfine needle aspirates ofbreast lesions bythepolymerase chain reaction

Aim-To demonstrate thefeasibility of studying specific geneexpression infine needle aspirates fromclinical lesions. The reversetranscription/polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)technique wasusedto demonstrate CD44geneexpression incells fromdiagnostic fine needle aspirates taken frompatients attending theoutpatient clinic forbreast diseases. Methods-Polyadenylated RNA was extracted fromthecells remaining inthe syringe barrel after fineneedleaspirate cytological diagnosis of41patients with breast lesions. Analysis ofCD44geneexpression wasperformed byRT-PCRusing primersflanking thesiteforinsertion of thevariant exons.Theresulting products wereseparated on 1-2%agarosegels, transferred tonylonmembranesusing Southern blotting andhybridised withspecific probes forstandard (constitutive) and