article by Dr. RL McInnes, Agilent Technologies, Australia
Genomic instability underlies cancer and Copy Number Aberrations (CNA s) are known to underpin many developmental disorders. Combined with microarray-based tools to interrogate changes in gene expression, promoter occupancy, chromatin modifications and DNA methylation, researchers can now very thoroughly characterize the molecular-genetic basis of disease.

Genomic instability underlies Cancer
Understanding the chromosomal changes that cancer cells undergo during development is key to advancing cancer research. Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) is a technique for studying such changes in cancer cells. Agilent is contributing to this area of research through major enhancements to its oligonucleotide microarray-based CGH (aCGH) platform. New capabilities include arrays with 244 thousand features, algorithms that detect aberrations, intuitive software for visualisation, ability to integrate gene expression and aCGH data, and the flexibility to customize the content at no up-front cost onto a variety of microarray formats.

Flexibility enables hypothesis driven research
Agilent’s enhanced aCGH solution will allow scientists to move easily from scanning the entire genome to pinpointing chromosomal changes that were difficult or impossible to detect using other platforms," said Mike Booth, general manager of Agilent’s Gene Expression Group. "Our technology and services provide cancer researchers with the robustness, flexibility, sensitivity and reproducibility they need to characterize genomic alterations associated with tumour development, growth and response to particular therapies."

Flexibility enables hypothesis driven research. Agilent s eArray web portal provides the tools to customise microarray content using probe sequences from Agilent s database in addition to probes that are uploaded by customers. Available formats include 244k for high density and 4x44k for economy and focus. Incredible flexibility!

Agilent s arrays for aCGH require 500ng gDNA (or 100ng with amplification) to detect single copy changes, even in heterogeneous samples. The procedure does not use complexity reduction and has been shown to reliably detect copy number aberrations in genomic regions where SNP-based short oligo array technologies perform poorly.

Suggested Reading
Open Genomics - a resource for microarray-based genomics
(www.opengenomics.com)
Agilent enhances breakthrough CGH solution for cancer research
(http://www.agilent.com/about/newsroom/features/2005aug22_cgh.html)
Agilent Technologies obtains multicolor, CGH microarray licenses from Abbott Molecular
(http://www.agilent.com/about/newsroom/presrel/2006/30aug-ca06043.html)
Agilent Technologies introduces HD-CGH custom microarrays for pinpointing cancer-related genetic
Abnormalities
(http://www.agilent.com/about/newsroom/presrel/2006/30aug-ca06043.html)
Agilent Technologies launches next generation high-resolution microarray platform
for identifying genetic abnormalities
(http://www.agilent.com/about/newsroom/presrel/2006/30aug-ca06043.html)