High-content, targeted RNA-seq screening in organoids for drug discovery in colorectal cancer

Norkin, Maxim; Ordóñez-Morán, Paloma; Huelsken, Joerg

Abstract

Organoids allow the recapitulation of intestinal homeostasis and cancerogenesis in vitro; however, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq)-based methods for drug screens are missing. We develop targeted organoid sequencing (TORNADO-seq), a high-throughput, high-content drug discovery platform that uses targeted RNA-seq to monitor the expression of large gene signatures for the detailed evaluation of cellular phenotypes in organoids. TORNADO-seq is a fast, highly reproducible time- and cost-effective ($5 per sample) method that can probe cell mixtures and their differentiation state in the intestinal system. We apply this method to isolate drugs that enrich for differentiated cell phenotypes and show that these drugs are highly efficacious against cancer compared to wild-type organoids. Furthermore, TORNADO-seq facilitates in-depth insight into the mode of action of these drugs. Our technology can easily be adapted to many other systems and will allow for more systematic, large-scale, and quantitative approaches to study the biology of complex cellular systems.

Citation

Norkin, M., Ordóñez-Morán, P., & Huelsken, J. (2021). High-content, targeted RNA-seq screening in organoids for drug discovery in colorectal cancer. Cell Reports, 35(3), Article 109026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109026

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 31, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Apr 20, 2021
• Publication Date: Apr 20, 2021
• Deposit Date: May 24, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: May 27, 2025
• Journal: Cell Reports
• Print ISSN: 2211-1247
• Electronic ISSN: 2211-1247
• Publisher: Cell Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 35
• Issue: 3
• Article Number: 109026
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109026
• Keywords: differentiation therapy, colorectal cancer, CRC organoids, high-content screening, organoid screening, drug mode of action
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/37604325
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211124721003405?via%3Dihub
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: High-content, targeted RNA-seq screening in organoids for drug discovery in colorectal cancer; Journal Title: Cell Reports; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109026; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s).