Background:
Accurate proteomic profiling depends on maintaining protein stability from collection to analysis. Conventional blood collection tubes, such as EDTA, offer limited protection against degradation processes like hemolysis, platelet activation, and cellular leakage, which can compromise data quality and require immediate sample processing. HEMAcollect™•PROTEIN Blood Collection Tube (BCT), incorporating ProteoPrecision™ stabilization chemistry, was developed to preserve proteins at the point of whole blood collection for up to 7 days when stored under room temperature conditions. While prior evaluations using targeted panels (Olink™ PEA and SomaLogic™ SomaScan®) demonstrated strong performance on targeted proteins, comprehensive proteome-wide assessment was needed.

Methods:
Venous blood samples (n=5) were collected into paired HEMAcollect™•PROTEIN BCT and K₂EDTA BCT. Paired plasma was isolated at baseline (within 2 hours) and after 5 hours, subsequent plasma was isolated from HEMAcollect™•PROTEIN BCT after 3, 5, and 7 days. All storage timepoints were  done at room temperature (20–26°C). Protein quantification was performed using Illumina® Protein Prep (IPP), which profiles >9,500 proteins via SOMAmer® hybridization and next-generation sequencing. Differential abundance was assessed using log₂ fold-change, paired t-tests with Holm-Šídák adjusted p-values. 

Results:
HEMAcollect™•PROTEIN BCT demonstrated seamless and direct compatibility with IPP workflows, requiring no special preparation and meeting all QC targets. Proteome-wide analysis showed >99% of proteins remained stable after 7 days, with minimal and consistent changes across time points. Pathways known to be activated in compromised whole blood samples revealed no enrichment across tested time points. Greater than 95% protein target stability was observed across a number of disease categories, including cytokine (97.8%), respiratory (97.6%), cardiovascular (96.8%), metabolic (96.6%), neurological (96.3%), immune/inflammation (96.0%), and oncology (95.1%).

Conclusions:
HEMAcollect™•PROTEIN BCT preserves protein integrity for up to 7 days at room temperature, enabling flexibility in sample collection and processing without compromising data quality. Its compatibility across >9,500 proteins using Illumina’s IPP and other proteomic platforms positions it as a robust solution for high-throughput proteomics research.