Open AccesshomeRNA: A Self-Sampling Kit for the Collection of Peripheral Blood and Stabilization of RNA
Author(s) -
Amanda J. Haack,
Fang Yun Lim,
Dakota S. Kennedy,
John H. Day,
Karen N. Adams,
Jing J. Lee,
Erwin Berthier,
Ashleigh B. Theberge
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
analytical chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.117
H-Index - 332
eISSN - 1520-6882
pISSN - 0003-2700
DOI - 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c02008
Subject(s) - venipuncture , rna , whole blood , immune system , blood sampling , chemistry , blood collection , transcriptome , gene expression , medicine , immunology , gene , surgery , biochemistry , emergency medicine
Gene expression analysis ( e.g. , targeted gene panels and transcriptomics) from whole blood can elucidate mechanisms of the immune function and aid in the discovery of biomarkers. Conventional venipuncture offers only a small snapshot of our broad immune landscape as immune responses may occur outside of the time and location parameters available for conventional venipuncture. A self-operated method that enables flexible sampling of liquid whole blood coupled with immediate stabilization of cellular RNA is instrumental in facilitating capture and preservation of acute or transient immune fluxes. To this end, we developed home RNA, a kit for self-collection of peripheral blood (∼0.5 mL) and immediate stabilization of cellular RNA, using the Tasso-SST blood collection device with a specially designed stabilizer tube containing RNA later . To assess the feasibility of home RNA for self-collection and stabilization of whole blood RNA, we conducted a pilot study ( n = 47 participants) in which we sent home RNA to participants aged 21-69, located across 10 US states (94% successful blood collections, n = 61/65). Among participants who successfully collected blood, 93% reported no or minimal pain/discomfort using the kit ( n = 39/42), and 79% reported very easy/somewhat easy stabilization protocol ( n = 33/42). Total RNA yield from the stabilized samples ranged between 0.20 and 5.99 μg (mean = 1.51 μg), and all but one RNA integrity number values were above 7.0 (mean = 8.1), indicating limited RNA degradation. The results from this study demonstrate the self-collection and RNA stabilization of whole blood with home RNA by participants themselves in their own home.