Stabilize RNA in Whole Blood
When collecting blood samples for RNA analysis,
storage of the samples prior to RNA isolation is often required. The RiboPure-Blood Kit contains RNAlater for the stabilization of RNA in whole blood. The addition of RNAlater to blood samples stabilizes the RNA and prevents its degradation. It also "freezes" the gene expression profile of the cells. Treated samples can be safely stored at ambien temperaure for extended periods of time (up to three days or more). As a result,
samples can be safely transported from the point of collection to a distant lab for RNA isolation without RNA degradation. The lower figure at right demonstrates that blood samples stored in RNAlater yield RNA of comparable quality to blood samples processed directly. Simple Procedure Yields Highly Pure RNA
The RiboPure-Blood procedure consists of three steps: 1) addition of Lysis Solution directly to RNAlater treated or fresh whole blood,
2) initial RNA purification by phenol/chloroform extraction,
and 3) final RNA purification on a glass fiber filter. An additional DNase treatment can then be performed with the DNA-free Reagents included in the kit. The entire procedure,
including DNase treatment,
can be completed in less than 1 hour.

The upper figure at right shows the results of a representative real time RT-PCR experiment in whih p53,
BT,
and GAPDH sequences were amplified from the RNA isolated using the RiboPure-Blood procedure. No genomic DNA was detectable in "no RT" control assays.

Complete Kit for Stabilization and Isolation of RNA
The kit provides sufficient reagents for the stabilization and purification of RNA from 40 whole blood samples ranging from 0.3-0.5 ml each. Average yields of RNA are between 2-4 µg/0.5 mL of whole blood (variation is due to differences in WBC numbers between samples). The RNA purified with the RiboPure-Blood Kit can be used in the most challenging applications,
including real-time RT-PCR and array analysis.