Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, Vol 7, Issue 9 803-808, Copyright © 1998 by American Association for Cancer Research

ARTICLES

Quality control program for storage of biologically banked blood specimens in the Malmo Diet and Cancer Study

RW Pero, A Olsson, C Bryngelsson, S Carlsson, L Janzon, G Berglund and S Elmstahl
Department of Molecular Ecogenetics, Malmo Diet and Cancer Study, University of Lund, Malmo, Sweden.

A biological bank has been developed to extend the biochemical and molecular research base for a prospective study on diet and cancer in the city of Malmo, Sweden. The study entered individuals 45-69 years of age, of which 30,382 individuals (45%) participated. Each individual entering the bank has stored samples of viable mononuclear leukocytes (MNLs; -140 degrees C) and granulocytes (GRANs; -80 degrees C) or buffy coats (-140 degrees C), erythrocytes (-80 degrees C), and plasma/serum (-80 degrees C). The bioassays developed to monitor the quality of storage conditions were: (a) viability and growth response to phytohemagglutinin for MNLs; (b) DNA strand breakage for GRANs; (c) NAD content for erythrocytes; and (d) thiol status for plasma/serum. The yield, purity, and storage conditions were all quality controlled, and the samples were determined to be of high standard after 137-190 weeks of storage. No differences in yield and purity were found in samples banked by different laboratory technicians. Growth responses of MNLs were severely reduced (90%) after 40 weeks of storage, which justified switching from the storage of purified MNLs and GRANs to the more cost-effective banking of buffy coats. We conclude that the quality of the banked material, based on the biochemical analysis done, indicate that the storage conditions are optimal at least up to 3.5 years, except for the growth response of MNLs.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. Elliott, T. C Peakman, and on behalf of UK Biobank The UK Biobank sample handling and storage protocol for the collection, processing and archiving of human blood and urine Int. J. Epidemiol., April 1, 2008; 37(2): 234 - 244. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. L. Stevens, A. V. Patel, H. S. Feigelson, C. Rodriguez, M. J. Thun, and E. E. Calle Cryopreservation of Whole Blood Samples Collected in the Field for a Large Epidemiologic Study Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., October 1, 2007; 16(10): 2160 - 2163. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Wallstrom, K. Frenkel, E. Wirfalt, B. Gullberg, J. Karkoszka, J. Seidegard, L. Janzon, and G. Berglund Antibodies against 5-Hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine Are Associated with Lifestyle Factors and GSTM1 Genotype: A Report from the Malmo Diet and Cancer Cohort Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., May 1, 2003; 12(5): 444 - 451. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. B. Hayes, C. O. Smith, W.-Y. Huang, Y. Read, and W. C. Kopp Whole Blood Cryopreservation in Epidemiological Studies Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., November 1, 2002; 11(11): 1496 - 1498. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Wallstrom, E. Wirfalt, P. H Lahmann, B. Gullberg, L. Janzon, and G. Berglund Serum concentrations of {beta}-carotene and {{alpha}}-tocopherol are associated with diet, smoking, and general and central adiposity Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, April 1, 2001; 73(4): 777 - 785. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]