Assessing gene expression profiling from FFPE Patient Samples: A Comparison of Two Library Preparation Approaches and Recommendations

Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) has transformed cancer research and clinical practice, with Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) driving advances in mutational profiling and personalized oncology. Yet, transcriptomic signatures remain essential for understanding disease mechanisms, including therapy resistance pathways. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), however, faces unique challenges when dealing with low-input or degraded RNA, as often found in archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues. Although previous studies have compared library preparation protocols, rapidly evolving technologies call for updated evaluations. Here, we present a direct comparison of two FFPE-compatible stranded RNA-seq library preparation kits: TaKaRa™ SMARTer® Stranded Total RNA-Seq Kit v2 (Kit A) and Illumina Stranded Total RNA Prep Ligation with Ribo-Zero Plus (Kit B). Both kits generated high-quality RNA-seq data, yet important differences emerged. Notably, Kit A achieved comparable gene expression quantification to Kit B while requiring 20-fold less RNA input, a crucial advantage for limited samples, albeit with increased sequencing depth. We critically discuss these results in relation to RNA availability, technical performance, cost-effectiveness, processing time, and automation potential, offering practical guidance for selecting optimal RNA-seq strategies in clinical and translational research settings

Type: Transcriptome Sequencing
Archiver: European Genome-Phenome Archive (EGA)

2 Datasets

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Dataset ID	Description	Technology	Samples
EGAD50000001552	Using the TaKaRa SMARTer Stranded Total RNA-Seq Kit v2, RNA-seq libraries were generated from 5 ng of RNA extracted from FFPE tissue. A low-input workflow was applied with 5 PCR cycles for the first amplification and 16 for the second. Library quality was assessed by Bioanalyzer and Qubit, and libraries were sequenced (2×150 bp) on the Illumina NextSeq 550 platform.	NextSeq 550	6
EGAD50000001553	RNA was extracted from FFPE human tissue samples and used to prepare RNA-seq libraries with the Illumina Stranded Total RNA Prep Ligation kit with Ribo-Zero Plus. cDNA synthesis was performed starting from 100 ng of DNA-free RNA. Libraries were amplified with 16 PCR cycles and sequenced in paired-end mode (2×150 bp) on the Illumina NextSeq 550 platform. Library quality was assessed with Bioanalyzer and Qubit.	NextSeq 550	6