Name: Video: Rapid Dissociation of Tumor Tissue to Gain Enhanced Single-Cell Tumor Insights
Uploaded: 2024-08-16T13:00:00
Description: 441 Views. Rapid Dissociation of Tumor Tissue to Gain Enhanced Single-Cell Tumor Insights

rapid dissociation of tumor tissue to gain enhanced single-cell tumor insights

Tumor Dissociation Protocol for Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Analysis

Although many advancements in cancer research have led to the development and FDA approval of agents targeting inhibitory receptors expressed on immune and tumor cells, known as checkpoint blockade inhibitors, therapy resistance and identifying mechanisms that drive patient response remain challenging1. The complex challenge of characterizing tumor heterogeneity on its molecular diversity and the intricate interplay between tumor cells and the immune microenvironment necessitates new approaches to dissect this complex ecosystem at the single-cell resolution. Understanding the molecular intricacies within tumors and their microenvironments is pivotal for advancing therapeutic strategies and deciphering the complex biology underlying cancer progression2. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has become increasingly popular because it provides high-resolution analysis of individual cells within complex tumor samples3,4.
Tumor heterogeneity, encompassing genetic, epigenetic, and phenotypic diversities, poses a challenge in uncovering the intricacies of cancer biology5. The conventional methods of bulk RNA sequencing tend to obscure the unique expression profiles and phenotypes of heterogeneous cell populations present within tumors, as these methods average signals across entire cell populations4. In contrast, scRNA-seq allows the dissection of individual cell types, revealing diverse gene expression, repression patterns, and cellular states otherwise overlooked4,6. The premise of scRNA-seq lies in its capacity to decode individual cells&#39; genetic and molecular signatures, holding immense promise in discovering new cancer therapeutics7.
By deciphering the gene expression profiles of tumor cells and the surrounding stromal and immune cells, researchers can identify novel therapeutic targets and develop precision genetic medicine strategies tailored to individual patients6. Furthermore, dissecting the immune repertoire within the tumor microenvironment provides crucial insights into the interplay between tumor cells and immune effectors, paving the way for immunotherapeutic interventions3. Despite advances in using scRNAseq on clinical samples, several challenges during the processing steps can harm the cell&#39;s RNA integrity, viability, and quality of the data generated. Moreover, processing tissue with low cell viability can increase ambient RNA levels in the droplets generated during the encapsulation of individual cells, resulting in cross-contamination and incorrect annotation of cell types, while long dissociation protocols performed at 37 &#176;C can lead to the upregulation of a stress response gene signature in multiple cell types8,9,10.
The stepwise procedure (Figure 1A) outlined in this protocol commences with rapid mechanical and enzymatic dissociation of tumors, followed by filtration and the removal of dead cells, depending on the viability of each tumor sample. At present, this procedure has been verified in melanoma11, colorectal12, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma13, pancreatic and lung (unpublished data) tumor samples. These techniques ensure the generation of high-quality viable cell suspensions crucial for downstream analyses14. Notably, removing red blood cells, devoid of synthesized RNA, becomes imperative to purify the sample15. Subsequent evaluation of cell counts and the elimination of dead cells serve as a prerequisite for successful 10x Genomics Gel bead-in Emulsion (GEM) generation, barcoding, and increase the recovery of transcripts and sequenced cells without jeopardizing the exclusion of sensitive populations (e.g., neutrophils and epithelial cells)16. These steps are fundamental in unlocking the potential of single-cell resolution analysis within tumor samples9,10, uncovering novel gene expression profiles and immune signatures necessary for driving innovative therapeutic interventions, and identifying new tumor vulnerabilities.

Author Spotlight: Exploring Strategies for Successful Immune Response Against Tumors

Dissociation of Human and Mouse Tumor Tissue Samples for Single-cell RNA Sequencing

Rapid Dissociation of Tumor Tissue to Gain Enhanced Single-Cell Tumor Insights

rapid-dissociation-tumor-tissue-to-gain-enhanced-single-cell-tumor

Research

JoVE Journal

Cancer Research

441 Views. Rapid Dissociation of Tumor Tissue to Gain Enhanced Single-Cell Tumor Insights

Video: Rapid Dissociation of Tumor Tissue to Gain Enhanced Single-Cell Tumor Insights

Human tumor samples hold a plethora of information about their microenvironment and immune repertoire. Effective dissociation of human tissue samples into viable cell suspensions is a required input for the single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) pipeline. Unlike bulk RNA sequencing approaches, scRNAseq enables us to infer the transcriptional heterogeneity in tumor specimens at the single-cell level. Incorporating this approach in recent years has led to many discoveries, such as identifying immune and tumor cellular states and programs associated with clinical responses to immunotherapies and other types of treatments. Moreover, single-cell technologies applied to dissociated tissues can be used to identify accessible chromatin regions T and B cell receptor repertoire, and the expression of proteins, using DNA barcoded antibodies (CITEseq).
The viability and quality of the dissociated sample are critical variables when using these technologies, as these can dramatically affect the cross-contamination of single cells with ambient RNA, the quality of the data, and interpretation. Moreover, long dissociation protocols can lead to the elimination of sensitive cell populations and the upregulation of a stress response gene signature. To overcome these limitations, we devised a rapid universal dissociation protocol, which has been validated on multiple types of human and murine tumors. The process begins with mechanical and enzymatic dissociation, followed by filtration, red blood lysis, and live dead enrichment, suitable for samples with a low input of cells (e.g., needle core biopsies). This protocol ensures a clean and viable single-cell suspension paramount to the successful generation of Gel Bead-In Emulsions (GEMs), barcoding, and sequencing.

This protocol outlines the procedure for rapidly dissociating human and mouse tumor samples for single-cell RNA sequencing.

Human tumor samples hold a plethora of information about their microenvironment and immune repertoire. Effective dissociation of human tissue samples into ...