Integrating whole blood transcriptomic collection procedures into the current anti-doping testing system, including long-term storage and re-testing of anti-doping samples

ABSTRACT: Recombinant human erythropoietin administration studies involving transcriptomic approaches have demonstrated a gene-expression signature that could aid detection of blood doping. However, current anti-doping testing does not involve blood collection into tubes with RNA preservative. This study investigated if whole blood in long-term storage and whole blood leftover from standard haematological testing in short-term storage could be used for transcriptomic analysis despite lacking RNA preservative. Whole blood samples were collected from thirteen and fourteen healthy males, for long-term and short-term storage experiments. Long-term storage: whole blood collected into Tempus™ tubes and K2EDTA tubes and subjected to long-term (i.e., −80°C) storage and RNA extracted. After storage, K2EDTA tubes were thawed and extracted using GeneJET RNA Purification Kit (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Vilnius, Lithuania) or Tempus™ Spin RNA Isolation Kit (Life Technologies, Carlsbad, CA, USA). RNA quality and purity was sufficient for gene expression analysis. Principle Component Analysis of microarray and RNA-seq gene expression data for long-term storage: When comparing gene expression between blood tubes with and without RNA preservation, 6% (4058 transcripts) were differentially expressed. RNA quantity, purity and integrity was not significantly compromised from long-term storage in blood storage tubes lacking RNA preservative, indicating that transcriptomic analysis could be conducted using anti-doping samples collected or biobanked without RNA preservation.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE181970 | GEO | 2021/08/13

REPOSITORIES: GEO