Fig. 2.
Effect of storage of blood samples on c-fos mRNA concentration in neutrophils obtained from K3EDTA tubes (a) or RNA-BCTs (b). Blood from normal healthy donors were drawn into K3EDTA tubes and RNA-BCTs and stored at room temperature. Neutrophils were isolated on days 0, 1, 2 and 3, total RNA extracted, and mRNA for c-fos was quantified by RT-qPCR. The fos mRNA concentrations in neutrophils obtained from K3EDTA blood showed 3.0 and 1.4-fold increases on days 1 and 2, respectively as compared to initial day 0 value. On day 3 there was a 1.2-fold decrease compared to the day 0 value. The c-fos mRNA concentration in neutrophils obtained from RNA-BCT blood was relatively stable. Error bars indicate SD. n = 6