This protocol details a methodology for multiplex mRNA detection with protein imaging mass cytometry in formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue sections.
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Method Article
This protocol details a methodology for multiplex mRNA detection with protein imaging mass cytometry in formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue sections.
The ability to detect protein and mRNA in the same assay helps us understand how the cell is priming for an arrival and what cues it receives as it travels and interacts in the environment it finds itself in. Higher-plexed imaging now permits characterization of spatially resolved mRNA (spatial transcriptomics) and protein (spatial proteomics) simultaneously. To avoid redundancy, these analytes can be analyzed in a single tissue section. There are many technologies that allow for many proteins and few mRNAs or the inverse, but as the central acting analytes are proteins, this manuscript is focused on integrating protein imaging mass cytometry (IMC) with mRNA in situ hybridization (ISH) utilizing metal probes. This allows us to understand what messages the cell is priming or is sending rapidly into the world as it communicates in its microenvironment. It also overcomes limitations related to the detection of secreted proteins or challenging markers that are usually hard to quantify and visualize utilizing antibodies only. This protocol also minimizes the need for compensations or post-processing seen in higher plex fluorescent-based methods, as there is no fluorescent spectral spillover in a metal probe-based detection system, nor are there tissue-specific autofluorescence considerations.
Cancers exhibit structural and functional diversities in various patients. The tumor microenvironment (TME), composed of normal and malignant cells, is heterogeneous among patients. Metastasis results from a residue from the primary tumor escaping into the bloodstream as cell clusters and single cells, which provides clues about disease progression and therapeutic response1,2. The complexity of these microenvironments needs to be understood1. Although tumors comprise ample cell types, the clinical standard is histologically based on a single marker, which is starting to change1,2. Multiplexed imaging technologies have afforded new directions in pathology. Spatially resolved proteomics, genomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics of human cancers are now possible at or near single cell resolution3,4,5,6.
These technologies can dissect the heterogeneous cellular locations and interactions in tumors. Utilizing the appropriate single-cell bioimaging methodology allows for the generation of profiles of many disease-associated protein biomarkers in patient biopsies to inform the design of cancer therapies. Insights from spatial cellular maps will be able to guide the choice for combination therapy that can efficiently eliminate cancers with reduced off-targets, resistance, and relapse1. At issue is the ability to unionize these many varied technologies that typically do not work in harmony on the same section of tissue7. This protocol, visually outlined in Figure 1, offers the opportunity to spatially examine both proteomics and a targeted subset of mRNAs in the same tissue section and the same cell simultaneously at a higher plexity than what is possible with simultaneous fluorescent protein+RNA-ISH8. This can also serve as a bridge for parallel analysis3,4,6, with the goal of deconvoluting the analysis of the data. While dual detection is present, one can also examine cells that have rapidly initiated mRNA production, but for which the secreted protein remains undetectable due to the limited sensitivity and lack of signal amplification inherent to directly labeled primary antibody methods, making the detection of secreted molecules particularly challenging. The following protocol is adapted from a 12-plex fluorescent/chromogenic detection to be applicable for metal-based detection via thiol-reduced modified probes for simultaneous detection in IMC.
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This protocol uses formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues collected from previously untreated patients undergoing primary cytoreductive surgery for high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. All clinical data were obtained from the repository of the Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine under protocols approved by the University of Texas MD Anderson's Institutional Review Board. Written informed consent from the patients was obtained, and the studies were conducted in accordance with recognized ethical guidelines.
1. Precautions and preparations
2. Sample preparation and preprocessing
3. Protease treatment
4. Target probes hybridization
5. Hybridize RNA-ISH amplifier 1
6. Hybridize RNA-ISH amplifier 2
7. Hybridize RNA-ISH amplifier 3
8. Hybridize metal oligos
9. Metal conjugated antibodies
10. Incubation with metal conjugated antibodies
11. DNA staining
12. Image acquisition
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The ability to detect protein and mRNA in the same assay helps us understand how the cell is priming for an arrival, but also what queues it is receiving as it travels and interacts with its environment. As seen in the representative data, mRNA and protein detection are critical components in spatial biology research, as the lower limits of detection can be quite challenging based on the way the labeling, detector, and/or imaging steps progress. Just the inclusion of proteases can complicate critical markers in combined ...
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Multiplex multi-omics is a critical evolution in the data collected, targeting cell-to-cell and cell-to-neighborhood interactions that impact disease progression and treatment. Analyzing this data in the same sample and thus the same cell is critical, as many protein targets are transiently expressed, or differ in mRNA and protein expression level, thus bringing in a targeted mRNA detection combined with protein allows for accommodation of difficult to detect or differentially expressing targets21...
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Jared K. Burks is a consultant for Standard BioTools.
This research was performed in collaboration with the Flow Cytometry and Cellular Imaging Core Facility, which is supported in part by the National Institutes of Health through M. D. Anderson's Cancer Center Support Grant P30 CA016672. This research was also supported in part by the MD Anderson's Cancer Center's Support Grant Development Award, Imaging Mass Cytometry Spatial Transcriptomics via RNAscope, P30CA016672, NIH/NCI, PI - Pisters. JKB effort was supported in part by the P30 CA016672 and the NCI Research Specialist 1 R50 CA243707-01A1. SFB effort was supported in part by the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA 811621 and 891490), The Honorable Tina Brozman Foundation for Ovarian Cancer Research, the MDACC Ovarian Cancer SPORE Developmental Research Program, NIH 1R01CA261952-01A1. SFB, JKB, and BG effort was supported in part by 1U01CA294459-01 grant. The authors would like to acknowledge Samuel Mok, who sectioned and provided the samples used.
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| Name | Company | Catalog Number | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| https://www.protocols.io/view/oligonucleotide-polymer-conjugation-for-imaging-ma-dm6gpjz91gzp/v2. | Protocols.IO | dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.dm6gpjz91gzp/v2 | Oligonucleotide-polymer conjugation for imaging mass cytometry V.2 |
| 10x TBS RNAse-Free | Thermo Fisher Scientific | J62780.K7 | For intermittent washes between steps |
| ACD HybEZ II Hybridization System | ACD Biotechne | 321711 | Oven for baking tissue slides |
| Antibody Diluent | Dako | S0809 | Antibody diluent buffer |
| Antibody: B7-H3 | Bethyl | A700-025CF, A700-026CF | Clone: BLR025F, BLR026F |
| Antibody: B7-H4 | Thermo Fisher Scientific | 14-5949-82 | Clone: H74 |
| Antibody: BRD4(6F11) | Bethyl | A700-005CF | Clone: BL-151-6F11 |
| Antibody: CCR6 | R&D | MAB195-100 | Clone: 53103 |
| Antibody: CD11b | Abcam | ab209970 | Clone: EPR1344 |
| Antibody: CD25 | Abcam | ab215378 | Clone: EPR6452 |
| Antibody: CD278/ICOS | CST | 89601BF | Clone: D1K2T |
| Antibody: CD31 | Abcam | ab207090 | Clone: EPR3094 |
| Antibody: CD33 | Abcam | ab238784 | Clone: SP266 |
| Antibody: CD3e | CST | 85061BF | Clone: D7A6E |
| Antibody: CD4 | Abcam | ab181724 | Clone: EPR6855 |
| Antibody: CD44 | Thermo Fisher Scientific | MA1-10225 | Clone: IM7 |
| Antibody: CD45 | Thermo Fisher Scientific | 14-9457-82 | Clone: CD45-2B11 |
| Antibody: CD8a | CST | 85336BF | Clone: D8A8Y |
| Antibody: CXCL13 | R&D | AF801 | Clone: Polyclonal |
| Antibody: CXCR5 | R&D | MAB190-100 | Clone: CXCR5 |
| Antibody: gamma-H2AX | Bethyl | A700-053CF | Clone: BLR053F |
| Antibody: Granzyme B | Santa Cruz | sc-8022 x | Clone: 2C5 |
| Antibody: KAP1 | Bethyl | A700-014CF | Clone: BL-248-2G6 |
| Antibody: Ki67 | Bethyl | A700-021CF | Clone: BLR021E |
| Antibody: LCK | CST | 2984BF | Clone: D88 |
| Antibody: MFAP5 | N/A | N/A | PMID: 31332047 / Clone: 130A (Note: custom designed) |
| Antibody: SMA | CST | 56856BF | Clone: 1A4 |
| Antibody: VEGF | STB-Fluidigm | 3163028D | Clone: G153-494 |
| Antibody: VISTA | CST | 64953BF | Clone: D1L2G |
| AZ-AR1 Elegance Citra | BioGeneX | HK546-XAK | Antigen retrieval buffer |
| Ethyl Alcohol 100% (200 Proof) | Pharmco | 111000200 | For deparaffinization |
| EZ – Retriever IR | BioGeneX | MW016-IR | Antigen Retrieval System for FFPE Tissue Sections |
| HybEZ II Hybridization System | ACD Biotechne | 321710 | The system comprises: HybEZ oven (PN 321710/321720), a humidity control tray (PN 310012), and HybEZ Humidifying Paper (2 sheets PN 310025), EZ-Batch Wash Tray (PN 321717), EZ-Batch Slide Holder (PN 321716) |
| ImmEdge Hydrophobic Barrier PAP Pen | VectorLabs | H-4000 | Hydrophobic Barrier Pen |
| Ir Intercalator Solution | Thermo Fisher Scientific | NC1038184 | Used for identifying nucleated cells |
| KERATIN 8/18 | CST | 4546BF | Clone: C51 |
| Metal Oligos | Various | Various | Metal tag ranging from T1 to T12 depending on which is needed |
| Nuclease-free water (NFW) | Corning | 46-000-CM | To clean and prep all equipment, and to use as a dilutant when necessary |
| RNAscope Protease Plus | ACD Biotechne | 322331 | Used to permeabilize cell membranes of samples |
| RNAscope EZ-Batch Slide Holder | ACD Biotechne | 310017 | Designed to manually batch process up to 20 slides efficiently |
| RNAscope HiPlex12 Reagents Kit v2 | ACD Biotechne | 324409 | Reagents for RNAScope |
| RNAscope HiPlex Probe - Target Probes | ACD Biotechne | Various | Range from T1 to T12 dependent on which is needed |
| RNaseZap RNase Decontamination Solution | Thermo Fisher Scientific | AM9782 | A surface decontamination solution that destroys RNases |
| Staining Rack Microscope Slide Basket Holder 24 Place Chemical Resistant Plastic | Optimal Scientific | 3028 | For staining multiple slides |
| Tween 20 | Thermo Fisher Scientific | AAJ20605AP | For intermittent washes between steps |
| Ultravision Protein Block | Thermo Fisher Scientific | TA125PBQ | Blocking buffer |
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