Fig 1. Study set up.

Preparation of 10⁶ PBMC aliquots, storage, RNA extraction and analysis of RNA quality, integrity and quantity. Storage medium: EML: NucliSENS easyMAG lysis buffer; QZL: QIAzol; RLT: RNeasy Mini Kit lysis buffer; RNLp: RNAlater pellet; RNLs: RNAlater supernatant; RPL: RiboPure RNA Purification Kit–blood lysis buffer. RNA extraction kits: EM: NucliSENS easyMAG; RE: RNeasy Mini Kit; RP: RiboPure RNA Purification Kit–blood. DNase treatment: D1, D2: as described in the M&M section. For the RE RNA Kit, DNase treatment was included during the extraction procedure, as described in the M&M section.