Improved platelet separation performance from whole blood using an acoustic fluidics system

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Oncology
• Hematology

Background:

• Platelets play a crucial role in cancer progression and represent a potential source for diagnostic biomarkers.
• Traditional platelet isolation methods like centrifugation may affect platelet integrity and gene expression profiles.
• Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) necessitates improved diagnostic and monitoring tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of acoustic separation versus centrifugation for platelet isolation in NSCLC patients.
• To analyze the whole transcriptome of platelets and associated cells to identify NSCLC-specific alterations.
• To explore the potential of acoustic-isolated platelets as biomarkers in NSCLC.

Main Methods:

• Peripheral blood samples were collected from 10 NSCLC patients and 10 healthy volunteers.
• Platelets were isolated using both acoustic separation and traditional centrifugation.
• Whole transcriptome analysis was performed on platelets, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and tumor tissues.
• Hierarchical clustering and Gene Ontology (GO) analysis were used to interpret gene expression data.

Main Results:

• Acoustic separation demonstrated superior performance in platelet yield, recovery rate, and RNA yield compared to centrifugation.
• Distinct gene expression profiles were observed in platelets from NSCLC patients versus healthy controls, indicating tumor-induced changes.
• GO analysis revealed significant enrichment in pathways related to platelet activation and the tumor microenvironment.

Conclusions:

• Acoustic separation is an efficient technique for isolating high-quality platelets for molecular analysis.
• Platelets from NSCLC patients exhibit unique, tumor-associated gene expression alterations.
• Acoustic-based platelet analysis holds promise for novel diagnostic strategies in NSCLC.