NanoString's GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler Used to Explore Loss of Smell Associated with COVID-19

Rhea-AI Summary

NanoString Technologies (NASDAQ: NSTG) recently announced a significant peer-reviewed study published in Cell, exploring anosmia, a COVID-19 symptom. The research analyzed 70 patient samples to determine the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on olfactory neurons using the GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler. Findings revealed that while the virus does not directly infect olfactory sensory neurons, high viral loads reduce gene expression in neighboring cells. This research underscores the utility of spatial transcriptomics in understanding COVID-19's effects, marking a notable advancement in the field of life sciences.

Positive

• Publication in a prestigious journal Cell enhances credibility.
• Research using GeoMx DSP demonstrates innovative application in COVID-19 studies.
• Findings provide insights into anosmia, addressing a critical symptom in COVID-19 patients.

Negative

• None.

Publication in the Journal Cell Reveals SARS-CoV-2 Does Not Appear to Affect Expression of Odorant Receptor Genes

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- NanoString Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: NSTG), a leading provider of life science tools for discovery and translational research, today announced a peer-reviewed paper published in the journal Cell using the GeoMx® Digital Spatial Profiler (DSP) and GeoMx Human Whole Transcriptome Atlas (WTA) to address one of the more perplexing symptoms of COVID-19: Anosmia or the loss of smell.

The paper Khan et al., "Visualizing in deceased COVID-19 patients how SARS-CoV-2 attacks the respiratory and olfactory mucosae but spares the olfactory bulb", was led by Peter Mombaerts, M.D., Ph.D., at the Max Planck Research Unit of Neurogenetics in Frankfurt, Germany, and by Laura Van Gerven, M.D., Ph.D., at the University of Leuven in Leuven, Belgium. The team focused on the onset of the sequence of biological events that ultimately leads to olfactory dysfunction.

Using a novel tissue collection procedure, the research team examined samples from 70 COVID-19 patients, enabling the team to study the virus while it is still replicating. After establishing that SARS-CoV-2 does not infect olfactory sensory neurons, the researchers used the GeoMx DSP to explore whether olfactory sensory neurons are indirectly affected by other nearby cells that are infected. The researchers compared whole-transcriptome expression patterns between adjacent regions of nasal cavity tissues with low and high viral load. This spatial transcriptomics approach confirmed that areas with a high viral load had reduced expression of genes that were known to be specifically expressed in sustentacular cells within the olfactory epithelium, but showed no changes in odorant receptor gene expression in nearby olfactory sensory neurons.

“Spatial context is key. The olfactory epitheliu is made up of an archipelago of islands scattered amidst the respiratory epithelium, so taking a bulk RNA sequencing approach would not have been helpful,” said Peter Mombaerts, M.D., Ph.D., principal investigator. “The GeoMx DSP allowed us to compare specific regions of the olfactory epithelium with varying viral loads. These regions can be regarded as tiny, directed biopsies.”

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, spatially-resolved whole transcriptome expression has been invaluable for scientists to understand the effects this deadly virus has on specific regions within organs,” said Joseph Beechem, Ph.D., chief scientific officer, NanoString. “Now with spatial transcriptomics of the nasal epithelia, we are gaining a holistic understanding of SARS-CoV-2 infection.”

The GeoMx DSP enables researchers to rapidly and quantitatively characterize tissue morphology with a high-throughput, high-plex RNA and protein profiling system that preserves precious samples for future analyses. NanoString and its collaborators have presented DSP data in dozens of abstracts at major scientific meetings and in over 80 peer-reviewed publications, demonstrating DSP's utility to address a wide range of biological questions in FFPE and frozen tissues. Interested parties can learn more about DSP by visiting https://www.nanostring.com/scientific-content/technology-overview/digital-spatial-profiling-technology.

About NanoString Technologies, Inc.

NanoString Technologies is a leading provider of life science tools for discovery and translational research. The company's nCounter® Analysis System is used in life sciences research and has been cited in more than 4,900 peer-reviewed publications. The nCounter Analysis System offers a cost-effective way to easily profile the expression of hundreds of genes, proteins, miRNAs, or copy number variations, simultaneously with high sensitivity and precision, facilitating a wide variety of basic research and translational medicine applications, including biomarker discovery and validation. The company's GeoMx® Digital Spatial Profiler enables highly multiplexed spatial profiling of RNA and protein targets in a variety of sample types, including FFPE tissue sections.

For more information, please visit www.nanostring.com.

NanoString, NanoString Technologies, the NanoString logo, GeoMx, and nCounter are trademarks or registered trademarks of NanoString Technologies, Inc. in various jurisdictions.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211103005257/en/

Doug Farrell, NanoString

Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications

dfarrell@nanostring.com

Phone: 206-602-1768

Source: NanoString Technologies, Inc.

FAQ

What is the significance of the recent NanoString study published in Cell?

The study provides insights into anosmia related to COVID-19, showing that while SARS-CoV-2 does not infect olfactory sensory neurons, high viral loads affect gene expression in adjacent cells.

How many COVID-19 patients were analyzed in NanoString's research?

The research analyzed samples from 70 COVID-19 patients.

What technology did NanoString use in this research?

NanoString utilized the GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler in their study.

What journal published the findings of NanoString's study?

The findings were published in the journal Cell.

What does the study reveal about the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on olfactory function?

The study reveals that SARS-CoV-2 does not appear to infect olfactory sensory neurons, but high viral loads can reduce gene expression in surrounding cells.