Genomic Analysis by Oligonucleotide Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization Utilizing Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded Tissues

Formalin fixation has been used to preserve tissues for more than a hundred years, and there are currently more than 300 million archival samples in the United States alone. The application of genomic protocols such as high-density oligonucleotide array Comparative Genomic Hybridization (aCGH) to formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues, therefore, opens an untapped resource of available tissues for research and facilitates utilization of existing clinical data in a research sample set. However, formalin fixation results in cross-linking of proteins and DNA, typically leading to such a significant degradation of DNA template that little is available for use in molecular applications. Here, we describe a protocol to circumvent formalin fixation artifact by utilizing enzymatic reactions to obtain quality DNA from a wide range of FFPE tissues for successful genome-wide discovery of gene dosage alterations in archival clinical samples.