HTS-PTT 'effective and low-cost means' of BRCA mutation quantitative analysis

Quantitative analysis of mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes using high throughput solid-phase protein truncation testing (HTS-PTT) is a low-cost and effective way of detecting abnormalities associated with breast cancer, according to researchers.

The open-access research journal Breast Cancer Research carries the findings of the team from AmberGen, First Light Biosciences, the University of Toronto Centre for Research in Women's Health and Boston University's Molecular Biophysics Laboratory.

In previous research, the team had proposed a HTS-PTT approach to quantitative analysis of BRCA gene mutations using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

The ELISA approach holds benefits including removing the need for subjective interpretation of the outcomes and eliminating radioactivity from the process.

In their latest testing, they discovered 96 per cent specificity in truncating mutations using their new procedure and 100 per cent diagnostic sensitivity.

They write: "Overall, the HTS-PTT provides a simple, quantitative, objective, low-cost and high-throughput method for analysis of truncating mutations."