In:
Nature Communications, Springer Science and Business Media LLC, Vol. 8, No. 1 ( 2017-11-23)
Abstract:
Precise rare-cell technologies require the blood to be processed immediately or be stabilized with fixatives. Such restrictions limit the translation of circulating tumor cell (CTC)-based liquid biopsy assays that provide accurate molecular data in guiding clinical decisions. Here we describe a method to preserve whole blood in its minimally altered state by combining hypothermic preservation with targeted strategies that counter cooling-induced platelet activation. Using this method, whole blood preserved for up to 72 h can be readily processed for microfluidic sorting without compromising CTC yield and viability. The tumor cells retain high-quality intact RNA suitable for single-cell RT-qPCR as well as RNA-Seq, enabling the reliable detection of cancer-specific transcripts including the androgen-receptor splice variant 7 in a cohort of prostate cancer patients with an overall concordance of 92% between fresh and preserved blood. This work will serve as a springboard for the dissemination of diverse blood-based diagnostics.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
2041-1723
DOI:
10.1038/s41467-017-01705-y
Language:
English
Publisher:
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Publication Date:
2017
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2553671-0