SOAR elucidates biological insights and empowers drug discovery through spatial transcriptomics

Spatial transcriptomics enables multiplex profiling of gene cellular expression and location within the tissue context. Although large volumes of spatial transcriptomics data have been generated, the lack of systematic curation and analysis limits biological discovery. We present Spatial transcriptOmics Analysis Resource (SOAR), a comprehensive spatial transcriptomics platform with 3461 uniformly processed samples across 13 species, 42 tissue types, and 19 different spatial transcriptomics technologies. Using SOAR, we found that CXCL16/SPP1 macrophage polarity characterizes the coordination of immune cell polarity in the tumor microenvironment. SOAR's integrative approach toward drug discovery revealed sirolimus and trichostatin A as potential anticancer agents targeting the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin growth and proliferation pathway and identified Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription inhibitors for ulcerative colitis treatment. SOAR's results demonstrate its broad application to data generated from diverse spatial technologies and pathological conditions. SOAR will support future benchmarking studies and method development, facilitating discoveries in molecular functions, disease mechanisms, and potential therapeutic targets.