Table 3.

Immunoreactive Peptide Levels in the Cingulate Cortex After Different Tissue Handling Procedures

Tissue handling procedure	DYNB	LARG	MEAP
Nonstabilized brain
Standard procedure, freeze (n = 4)	0.80 ± 0.11	2.70 ± 0.11	4.62 ± 0.52
Wet ice 15 minutes, freeze (n = 4)	1.07 ± 0.12	3.61 ± 0.84	4.95 ± 1.49
Stabilize, freeze (n = 5)	1.18 ± 0.24	ND	11.8 ± 2.29*
Stabilized brain
Freeze (n = 6)	0.93 ± 0.08	ND	2.76 ± 0.50*
Room temperature 2 hours (n = 6)	1.34 ± 0.16	ND	3.19 ± 1.02

Stabilization was tested at different time points according to Figure 1 and the peptide levels were compared with standard procedure (in bold) that is, the brain was rapidly freed and sectioned in a precooled matrix, regions of interest were dissected and rapidly frozen on aluminum-encased dry ice. In addition, the consequences of keeping the tissue samples on wet ice for 15 minutes were tested in nonstabilized brain and in room temperature (20°C) for 2 hours in stabilized brain.

The values represent mean ± SEM and are expressed as fmol/mg tissue.

^*p < 0.05, compared to standard procedure.

ND, not detectable in the radioimmunoassay.