Publications Repository - Gdańsk University of Technology

BACKGROUND Blood platelet RNA-sequencing is increasingly used among the scientific community. Aberrant platelet transcriptome is common in cancer or cardiovascular disease, but reference data on platelet RNA content in healthy individuals are scarce and merit complex investigation. METHODS We sought to explore the dynamics of platelet transcriptome. Datasets from 204 healthy donors were used for the analysis of splice variants, particularly with regard to age, sex, blood storage time, unit of collection or library size. RESULTS Genes B2M, PPBP, TMSB4X, ACTB, FTL, CLU, PF4, F13A1, GNAS, SPARC, PTMA, TAGLN2, OAZ1 and OST4 demonstrated the highest expression in the analysed cohort, remaining substantial transcription consistency. CSF3R gene was found upregulated in males (fold change 2.10, FDR q<0.05). Cohort dichotomisation according to the median age, showed upregulated KSR1 in the older donors (fold change 2.11, FDR q<0.05). Unsupervised hierarchical clustering revealed two clusters which were irrespective of age, sex, storage time, collecting unit or library size. However, when donors are analysed globally (as vectors), sex, storage time, library size, the unit of blood collection as well as age impose a certain degree of between- and/or within-group variability. CONCLUSIONS Separately analysed platelet splice variants retain general consistency, with a few interesting deviating genes from these general trends. On the other hand, the multidimensional analysis revealed statistically significant variability between and within the analysed groups. Our work provides a reference for studies working both on healthy platelets and pathological conditions affecting platelet transcriptome.

Authors

• dr Anna Supernat,
• mgr Marta Popęda,
• mgr inż. Krzysztof Pastuszak link open in new tab ,
• dr Myron G Best,
• dr Peter Gresner,
• drs. ing. Sjors In ‘t Veld,
• dr Bartłomiej Siek,
• dr Natalia Bednarz-Knoll,
• prof. Matthew T. Rondina,
• dr inż Tomasz Stokowy,
• prof. Thomas Würdinger,
• Prof. Jacek Jassem,
• dr hab. Anna Żaczek