Transcriptomic analyses of patient peripheral blood with hemoglobin depletion reveal glioblastoma biomarkers

Peripheral blood is gaining prominence as a noninvasive alternative to tissue biopsy to develop biomarkers for glioblastoma (GBM); however, widely utilized blood-based biomarkers in clinical settings have not yet been identified due to the lack of a robust detection approach. Here, we describe the application of globin reduction in RNA sequencing of whole blood (i.e., WBGR) and perform transcriptomic analysis to identify GBM-associated transcriptomic changes. By using WBGR, we improved the detection sensitivity of informatic reads and identified differential gene expression in GBM blood. By analyzing tumor tissues, we identified transcriptomic traits of GBM blood. Further functional enrichment analyses retained the most changed genes in GBM. Subsequent validation elicited a 10-gene panel covering mRNA, long noncoding RNA, and microRNA (i.e., GBM-Dx panel) that has translational potential to aid in the early detection or clinical management of GBM. Here, we report an integrated approach, WBGR, with comprehensive analytic capacity for blood-based marker identification.

Automated summary

Peripheral blood is being explored as a noninvasive alternative to tissue biopsy for developing biomarkers for glioblastoma (GBM), but the lack of a robust detection approach has hindered the identification of widely utilized blood-based biomarkers in clinical settings. This study introduces WBGR, a globin reduction technique for RNA sequencing of whole blood, and demonstrates its ability to detect GBM-associated transcriptomic changes. Through transcriptomic analysis of tumor tissues, a 10-gene panel (GBM-Dx panel) consisting of mRNA, long noncoding RNA, and microRNA was identified as a potential tool for early detection and clinical management of GBM. The integrated approach of WBGR offers comprehensive analytic capacity for blood-based marker identification.