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Effect of Fixation to the Degradation of Nuclear and Mitochondrial DNA in Different Tissues

Franziska Miething, Sandra Hering, Bärbel Hanschke and Jan Dressler

Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany

Correspondence to: J. Dressler, MD, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany. E-mail: irm{at}rcs.urz.tu-dresden.de

Samples of different tissues were preserved in seven fixatives for periods of time extending from 1 to 336 days, to determine which fixatives reduce the time-dependent degradation of DNA and preserve the histological structure. To achieve these results, three PCR systems were used: FGA and TC11 (both for nuclear DNA) and HV1 for mitochondrial DNA (mt-DNA). For long-term storage in combination with amplification of nuclear and mt-DNA, consistent results were obtained in Carnoy's solution and glutaraldehyde. Variable results were observed for buffered formalin; an mt-DNA product could be detected even after 3 months of fixation. In regard to comparison of the different tissues, the quantities recovered from skeletal muscles and kidneys were higher than from other tissues. (J Histochem Cytochem 54:371–374, 2006)

Key Words: mitochondrial DNA • nuclear DNA • autopsy tissue samples • fixative • degradation

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