Diagnostic Biomarkers Research Articles

Transfer RNA-derived fragment tRF-23-Q99P9P9NDD promotes progression of gastric cancer by targeting ACADSB.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common gastrointestinal tumors. As a newly discovered type of non-coding RNAs, transfer RNA (tRNA)‍-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) play a dual biological role in cancer. Our previous studies have demonstrated the potential of tRF-23-Q99P9P9NDD as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for GC. In this work, we confirmed for the first time that tRF-23-Q99P9P9NDD can promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion of GC cells in vitro. The dual luciferase reporter gene assay confirmed that tRF-23-Q99P9P9NDD could bind to the 3' untranslated region (UTR) site of acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase short/branched chain (ACADSB). In addition, ACADSB could rescue the effect of tRF-23-Q99P9P9NDD on GC cells. Next, we used Gene Ontology (GO), the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) to find that downregulated ACADSB in GC may promote lipid accumulation by inhibiting fatty acid catabolism and ferroptosis. Finally, we verified the correlation between ACADSB and 12 ferroptosis genes at the transcriptional level, as well as the changes in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels by flow cytometry. In summary, this study proposes that tRF-23-Q99P9P9NDD may affect GC lipid metabolism and ferroptosis by targeting ACADSB, thereby promoting GC progression. It provides a theoretical basis for the diagnostic and prognostic monitoring value of GC and opens up new possibilities for treatment.

Salivary metabolites are promising noninvasive biomarkers of drug-induced liver injury

BACKGROUND Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is one of the most common adverse events of medication use, and its incidence is increasing. However, early detection of DILI is a crucial challenge due to a lack of biomarkers and noninvasive tests. AIM To identify salivary metabolic biomarkers of DILI for the future development of noninvasive diagnostic tools. METHODS Saliva samples from 31 DILI patients and 35 healthy controls (HCs) were subjected to untargeted metabolomics using ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Subsequent analyses, including partial least squares-discriminant analysis modeling, t tests and weighted metabolite coexpression network analysis (WMCNA), were conducted to identify key differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) and metabolite sets. Furthermore, we utilized least absolute shrinkage and selection operato and random fores analyses for biomarker prediction. The use of each metabolite and metabolite set to detect DILI was evaluated with area under the receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS We found 247 differentially expressed salivary metabolites between the DILI group and the HC group. Using WMCNA, we identified a set of 8 DEMs closely related to liver injury for further prediction testing. Interestingly, the distinct separation of DILI patients and HCs was achieved with five metabolites, namely, 12-hydroxydodecanoic acid, 3-hydroxydecanoic acid, tetradecanedioic acid, hypoxanthine, and inosine (area under the curve: 0.733-1). CONCLUSION Salivary metabolomics revealed previously unreported metabolic alterations and diagnostic biomarkers in the saliva of DILI patients. Our study may provide a potentially feasible and noninvasive diagnostic method for DILI, but further validation is needed.

MicroRNA mmu-miR-511-5p: A promising Diagnostic Biomarker in Experimental Toxoplasmosis Using Different Strains and Infective Doses in Mice with Different Immune States Before and After Treatment.

Searching for a novel early diagnostic biomarker for toxoplasmosis, real-time-PCR was currently used to measure the serum mmu-miR-511-5p level in male Swiss-albino mice infected with either; ME49 or RH Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) strains. Three mice groups were used; (GI) constituted the non-infected control group, while (GII) and (GIII) were experimentally infected with ME49 or RH strains, respectively. GII mice were orally infected using 10 or 20 ME49 cysts (ME-10 and ME-20), both were subdivided into; non-treated (ME-10-NT and ME-20-NT) and were further subdivided into; immunocompetent (ME-10-IC and ME-20-IC) [euthanized 3-days, 1, 2, 6 or 8-weeks post-infection (PI)], and immunosuppressed using two Endoxan® injections (ME-10-IS and ME-20-IS) [euthanized 6- or 8-weeks PI], and spiramycin-treated (ME-10-SP and ME-20-SP) that received daily spiramycin, for one-week before euthanasia. GIII mice individually received 2500 intraperitoneal RH strain tachyzoites, then, were subdivided into; non-treated (RH-NT) [euthanized 3 or 5-days PI], and spiramycin-treated (RH-SP) that were euthanized 5 or 10-days PI (refer to the graphical abstract). Revealed significant upregulation of mmu-miR-511-5p in GII, one-week PI, with gradually increased expression, reaching its maximum 8-weeks PI, especially in ME-20-NT group that received the higher infective dose. Immunosuppression increased the upregulation. Contrarily, treatment caused significant downregulation. GIII recorded significant upregulation 3-days PI, yet, treatment significantly decreased this expression. Serum mmu-miR-511-5p is a sensitive biomarker for early diagnosis of ME49 and RH infection (as early as one-week and 3-days, respectively), and its expression varies according to T. gondii infective dose, duration of infection, spiramycin-treatment and host immune status.

Identification and validation of microbial biomarkers from cross-cohort datasets using xMarkerFinder.

Microbial signatures have emerged as promising biomarkers for disease diagnostics and prognostics, yet their variability across different studies calls for a standardized approach to biomarker research. Therefore, we introduce xMarkerFinder, a four-stage computational framework for microbial biomarker identification with comprehensive validations from cross-cohort datasets, including differential signature identification, model construction, model validation and biomarker interpretation. xMarkerFinder enables the identification and validation of reproducible biomarkers for cross-cohort studies, along with the establishment of classification models and potential microbiome-induced mechanisms. Originally developed for gut microbiome research, xMarkerFinder's adaptable design makes it applicable to various microbial habitats and data types. Distinct from existing biomarker research tools that typically concentrate on a singular aspect, xMarkerFinder uniquely incorporates a sophisticated feature selection process, specifically designed to address the heterogeneity between different cohorts, extensive internal and external validations, and detailed specificity assessments. Execution time varies depending on the sample size, selected algorithm and computational resource. Accessible via GitHub ( https://github.com/tjcadd2020/xMarkerFinder ), xMarkerFinder supports users with diverse expertise levels through different execution options, including step-to-step scripts with detailed tutorials and frequently asked questions, a single-command execution script, a ready-to-use Docker image and a user-friendly web server ( https://www.biosino.org/xmarkerfinder ).

Single-value brain activity scores reflect both severity and risk across the Alzheimer's continuum.

Single-value scores reflecting the deviation from (FADE score) or similarity with (SAME score) prototypical novelty-related and memory-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) activation patterns in young adults have been proposed as imaging biomarkers of healthy neurocognitive aging. Here, we tested the utility of these scores as potential diagnostic and prognostic markers in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and risk states like mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or subjective cognitive decline (SCD). To this end, we analyzed subsequent memory fMRI data from individuals with SCD, MCI, and AD dementia as well as healthy controls (HC) and first-degree relatives of AD dementia patients (AD-rel) who participated in the multi-center DELCODE study (N = 468). Based on the individual participants' whole-brain fMRI novelty and subsequent memory responses, we calculated the FADE and SAME scores and assessed their association with AD risk stage, neuropsychological test scores, CSF amyloid positivity, and ApoE genotype. Memory-based FADE and SAME scores showed a considerably larger deviation from a reference sample of young adults in the MCI and AD dementia groups compared to HC, SCD and AD-rel. In addition, novelty-based scores significantly differed between the MCI and AD dementia groups. Across the entire sample, single-value scores correlated with neuropsychological test performance. The novelty-based SAME score further differed between Aβ-positive and Aβ-negative individuals in SCD and AD-rel, and between ApoE ε4 carriers and non-carriers in AD-rel. Hence, FADE and SAME scores are associated with both cognitive performance and individual risk factors for AD. Their potential utility as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers warrants further exploration, particularly in individuals with SCD and healthy relatives of AD dementia patients.

Associations of the Serum KL-6 with Severity and Prognosis in Patients with Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

As a biomarker of alveolar-capillary basement membrane injury, Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) is involved in the occurrence and development of pulmonary diseases. However, the role of the KL-6 in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) has yet to be elucidated. This prospective study was designed to clarify the associations of the serum KL-6 with the severity and prognosis in patients with AECOPD. This study enrolled 199 eligible AECOPD patients. Demographic data and clinical characteristics were recorded. Follow-up was tracked to evaluate acute exacerbation and death. The serum KL-6 concentration was measured via an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum KL-6 level at admission was higher in AECOPD patients than in control subjects. The serum KL-6 concentration gradually elevated with increasing severity of AECOPD. Pearson and Spearman analyses revealed that the serum KL-6 concentration was positively correlated with the severity score, monocyte count and concentrations of C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, uric acid, and lactate dehydrogenase in AECOPD patients during hospitalization. A statistical analysis of long-term follow-up data showed that elevated KL-6 level at admission was associated with longer hospital stays, an increased risk of future frequent acute exacerbations, and increased severity of exacerbation in COPD patients. Serum KL-6 level at admission is positively correlated with increased disease severity, prolonged hospital stay and increased risk of future acute exacerbations in COPD patients. There are positive dose-response associations of elevated serum KL-6 with severity and poor prognosis in COPD patients. The serum KL-6 concentration could be a novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in AECOPD patients.

ALKBH5-mediated m6A modification of circFOXP1 promotes gastric cancer progression by regulating SOX4 expression and sponging miR-338-3p

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have recently been suggested as potential functional modulators of cellular physiology processes in gastric cancer (GC). In this study, we demonstrated that circFOXP1 was more highly expressed in GC tissues. High circFOXP1 expression was positively associated with tumor size, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, and poor prognosis in patients with GC. Cox multivariate analysis revealed that higher circFOXP1 expression was an independent risk factor for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in GC patients. Functional studies showed that increased circFOXP1 expression promoted cell proliferation, cell invasion, and cell cycle progression in GC in vitro. In vivo, the knockdown of circFOXP1 inhibited tumor growth. Mechanistically, we observed ALKBH5-mediated m6A modification of circFOXP1 and circFOXP1 promoted GC progression by regulating SOX4 expression and sponging miR-338-3p in GC cells. Thus, our findings highlight that circFOXP1 could serve as a novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target for GC.

MiR-29 as diagnostic biomarkers for tuberculosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

miR-29 as diagnostic biomarkers for tuberculosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Circulating microRNAs as promising diagnostic biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Circulating microRNAs as promising diagnostic biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

A comprehensive evaluation of serum circCSPP1 as a novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for gastric cancer

PurposeGastric cancer (GC) has high incidence and mortality due to its low early screening efficiency. Circular RNAs (CircRNAs) are a new class of non-coding RNAs which is closely related to GC. Nevertheless, the clinical application value of circRNAs in GC are largely unknown. Therefore, we studied the role of a novel circRNA named circCSPP1 in patients with GC. MethodsCircRNA sequencing was performed to screen out the target molecule. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was utilized to detect the expression level of circCSPP1 in GC tissues, cells, and serum. Gel and Sanger sequencing were utilized to verify the ring structure of circCSPP1. RNase R enzyme digestion experiment and actinomycin D experiment were verifed the advantage of circCSPP1 as a diagnostic biomarker in patients with GC when that compared with linear RNA. The correlation between the expression level of serum circCSPP1 and clinicopathological data of GC patients was further analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and the area under ROC curve (AUC) were utilied to evaluate the diagnostic performance. ResultsCircCSPP1 has a circular structure which with resistance to RNA exonuclease digestion and long half-life compared with linear RNA. In our study, circCSPP1 was first found up-regulated in patients with GC. Serum circCSPP1 level was decreased significantly after surgical resection whereas increased after recurrence. High expression of circCSPP1 was associated with poor survival rates. The expression level of circCSPP1 was significantly correlated to tumor size, T stage, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage. The AUC of serum circCSPP1 was 0.834, with high sensitivity and specificity in discriminating patients with GC from healthy donors. More importantly, the combined diagnosis of circCSPP1, CEA, and CA19–9 achieved the superior AUC of 0.882, with the highest specificity. ConclusionSerum circCSPP1 may prove to be a potential non-invasive auxiliary diagnostic biomarker for patients with GC.

The clinical significance of long non-coding RNAs MALAT1 and CASC2 in the diagnosis of HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

Globally, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second most common cause of cancer-related death due to a lack of early predictive and/or diagnostic tools. Thus, research for a new biomarker is important. LncRNAs play a functional role in target gene regulation and their deregulation is associated with several pathological conditions including HCC. This study aimed to explore the diagnostic potential of two LncRNAs MALAT1 and CASC2 in HCC compared to the routinely used diagnostic biomarker. The current study is a case-control study carried out at Fayoum University Hospital and conducted on 89 individuals. The study included three groups of 36 HCC patients on top of HCV(HCC/HCV), 33 HCV patients, and 20 healthy volunteers as a control group. All study subjects were subjected to radiological examinations. The determination of CBC was performed by the automated counter and liver function tests by the enzymatic method were performed. In addition, HCV RNA quantification and the expression level of two LncRNAs (MALAT1 and CASC2) were performed by qRT-PCR. The results revealed a statistically significant difference between study groups regarding liver function tests with a higher mean in HCC/HCV group. Also, serum MALAT1 significantly up-regulated in HCV (11.2±2.8) and HCC/HCV (4.56±1.4) compared to the control group. Besides, serum CASC2 levels in the HCV group were significantly upregulated (14.9±3.6), while, downregulated in the HCC group (0.16± 0.03). Furthermore, The ROC analysis for diagnostic efficacy parameters indicated that CASC2 has higher accuracy (94.6%) and sensitivity (97.2%) for HCC diagnosis than AFP with an accuracy of (90.9%), sensitivity (69.4%), and MALAT1 showed an accuracy of (56.9%), sensitivity (72.2%). Our study results indicated that CASC2 is a promising biomarker and is considered better and could help in HCC diagnosis on top of HCV than MALAT1 and the routine biomarker AFP.

Dysregulated Coagulation and Fibrinolysis Are Present in Patients Admitted to the Emergency Department with Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure: A Prospective Study

Acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF) is defined as acute and progressive, and patients are at a greater risk of developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Until now, most studies have focused on prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers in ARDS. Since there is evidence supporting a connection between dysregulated coagulant and fibrinolytic pathways in ARDS progression, it is plausible that this dysregulation also exists in AHRF. The aim of this study was to explore whether levels of soluble endothelial protein C receptor (sEPCR) and plasminogen differentiate patients admitted to the emergency department (ED) with AHRF. sEPCR and plasminogen levels were measured in 130 AHRF patients upon ED presentation by ELISA. Our results demonstrated that patients presenting to the ED with AHRF had elevated levels of sEPCR and plasminogen. It seems that dysregulation of coagulation and fibrinolysis occur in the early stages of respiratory failure requiring hospitalisation. Further research is needed to fully comprehend the contribution of sEPCR and plasminogen in AHRF.

Diagnostic Biomarkers in Renal Cell Tumors According to the Latest WHO Classification: A Focus on Selected New Entities

The fifth edition of the World Health Organization (WHO) classification for urogenital tumors, released in 2022, introduces some novelties in the chapter on renal epithelial tumors compared to the previous 2016 classification. Significant changes include the recognition of new disease entities and adjustments in the nomenclature for certain pathologies. Notably, each tumor entity now includes minimum essential and desirable criteria for reliable diagnosis. This classification highlights the importance of biological and molecular characterization alongside traditional cytological and architectural features. In this view, immunophenotyping through immunohistochemistry (IHC) plays a crucial role in bridging morphology and genetics. This article aims to present and discuss the role of key immunohistochemical markers that support the diagnosis of new entities recognized in the WHO classification, focusing on critical topics associated with single markers, in the context of specific tumors, such as the clear cell capillary renal cell tumor (CCPRCT), eosinophilic solid and cystic renal cell carcinoma (ESC-RCC), and so-called “other oncocytic tumors”, namely the eosinophilic vacuolated tumor (EVT) and low-grade oncocytic tumor (LOT). Their distinctive characteristics and immunophenotypic profiles, along with insights regarding diagnostic challenges and the differential diagnosis of these tumors, are provided. This state-of-the-art review offers valuable insights in biomarkers associated with novel renal tumors, as well as a tool to implement diagnostic strategies in routine practice.

Identification of potential biomarkers of leprosy: A study based on GEO datasets.

Leprosy has a high rate of cripplehood and lacks available early effective diagnosis methods for prevention and treatment, thus novel effective molecule markers are urgently required. In this study, we conducted bioinformatics analysis with leprosy and normal samples acquired from the GEO database(GSE84893, GSE74481, GSE17763, GSE16844 and GSE443). Through WGCNA analysis, 85 hub genes were screened(GS > 0.7 and MM > 0.8). Through DEG analysis, 82 up-regulated and 3 down-regulated genes were screened(|Log2FC| > 3 and FDR < 0.05). Then 49 intersection genes were considered as crucial and subjected to GO annotation, KEGG pathway and PPI analysis to determine the biological significance in the pathogenesis of leprosy. Finally, we identified a gene-pathway network, suggesting ITK, CD48, IL2RG, CCR5, FGR, JAK3, STAT1, LCK, PTPRC, CXCR4 can be used as biomarkers and these genes are active in 6 immune system pathways, including Chemokine signaling pathway, Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation, Th17 cell differentiation, T cell receptor signaling pathway, Natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity and Leukocyte transendothelial migration. We identified 10 crucial gene markers and related important pathways that acted as essential components in the etiology of leprosy. Our study provides potential targets for diagnostic biomarkers and therapy of leprosy.

Serum procalcitonin as a diagnostic biomarker in dogs with bacterial respiratory diseases.

Procalcitonin (PCT) is a useful biomarker in humans in the identification of bacterial respiratory infections. The aim of this study was to investigate the utility of serum PCT measurements as a diagnostic biomarker in canine bacterial lower respiratory tract diseases. PCT concentrations were measured in serum samples with an ELISA method previously validated for dogs. All dogs underwent thorough clinical examinations, and the diagnosis of respiratory disease was based on clinical and laboratory findings, diagnostic imaging, as well as cytology and bacterial culture of respiratory samples. PCT concentrations between different cohorts of dogs were compared with an ANOVA-model. Sixty-two privately owned dogs with respiratory diseases, 25 with bacterial pneumonia (BP), 17 with bacterial bronchitis caused by Bordetella bronchiseptica (BB), and 20 with chronic bronchitis (CB) as well as 44 healthy controls were included in the study. Serum PCT concentrations in dogs with bacterial respiratory diseases (BP mean 51.8 ng/L ± standard deviation [SD] 40.6 ng/L and BB mean 61.4 ng/L ± SD 35.3 ng/L) were not significantly different when compared with dogs with a non-bacterial respiratory disease (CB mean 89.7 ± SD 73.5 ng/L) or healthy dogs (mean 51.0 ng/L ± SD 37.5 ng/L, p > .05 in all comparisons). These results indicate that despite being a valuable diagnostic, prognostic, and follow-up marker in humans with pneumonia, serum PCT concentrations are not elevated in dogs with bacterial respiratory diseases and, therefore, cannot be used as a diagnostic biomarker in dogs.

THOC6 is a novel biomarker of glioma and a target of anti-glioma drugs: An analysis based on bioinformatics and molecular docking.

Glioma is a typical malignant tumor of the nervous system. It is of great significance to identify new biomarkers for accurate diagnosis of glioma. In this context, THOC6 has been studied as a highly diagnostic prognostic biomarker, which contributes to improve the dilemma in diagnosing gliomas. We used online databases and a variety of statistical methods, such as Wilcoxon rank sum test, Dunn test and t test. We analyzed the mutation, location and expression profile of THOC6, revealing the network of THOC6 interaction with disease. Wilcoxon rank sum test showed that THOC6 is highly expressed in gliomas (P < 0.001). Dunn test, Wilcoxon rank sum test and t test showed that THOC6 expression was correlated with multiple clinical features. Logistic regression analysis further confirmed that THOC6 gene expression was a categorical dependent variable related to clinical features of poor prognosis. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the overall survival (OS) of glioma patients with high expression of THOC6 was poor (P < 0.001). Both univariate (P < 0.001) and multivariate (P = 0.04) Cox analysis confirmed that THOC6 gene expression was an independent risk factor for OS in patients with glioma. ROC curve analysis showed that THOC6 had a high diagnostic value in glioma (AUC = 0.915). Based on this, we constructed a nomogram to predict patient survival. Enrichment analysis showed that THOC6 expression was associated with multiple signal pathways. Immuno-infiltration analysis showed that the expression of THOC6 in glioma was closely related to the infiltration level of multiple immune cells. Molecular docking results showed that THOC6 might be the target of anti-glioma drugs. THOC6 is a novel diagnostic factor and prognostic biomarker of glioma.

NET-Related Gene as Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers for Diabetic Tubulointerstitial Injury

Background: Tubulointerstitial injury plays a pivotal role in the progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD), yet the link between neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and diabetic tubulointerstitial injury is still unclear.Methods: We analyzed microarray data (GSE30122) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with DKD’s tubulointerstitial injury. Functional and pathway enrichment analyses were conducted to elucidate the involved biological processes (BP) and pathways. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) identified modules associated with DKD. LASSO regression and random forest selected NET-related characteristic genes (NRGs) related to DKD tubulointerstitial injury.Results: Eight hundred ninety-eight DEGs were identified from the GSE30122 dataset. A significant module associated with diabetic tubulointerstitial injury overlapped with 15 NRGs. The hub genes, CASP1 and LYZ, were identified as potential biomarkers. Functional enrichment linked these genes with immune cell trafficking, metabolic alterations, and inflammatory responses. NRGs negatively correlated with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in the Neph v5 database. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) validated increased NRGs in DKD tubulointerstitial injury.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the CASP1 and LYZ genes may serve as potential diagnostic biomarkers for diabetic tubulointerstitial injury. Furthermore, NRGs involved in diabetic tubulointerstitial injury could emerge as prospective targets for the diagnosis and treatment of DKD.

Diagnostic biomarker discovery from brain EEG data using LSTM, reservoir-SNN, and NeuCube methods in a pilot study comparing epilepsy and migraine

The study introduces a new online spike encoding algorithm for spiking neural networks (SNN) and suggests new methods for learning and identifying diagnostic biomarkers using three prominent deep learning neural network models: deep BiLSTM, reservoir SNN, and NeuCube. EEG data from datasets related to epilepsy, migraine, and healthy subjects are employed. Results reveal that BiLSTM hidden neurons capture biological significance, while reservoir SNN activities and NeuCube spiking dynamics identify EEG channels as diagnostic biomarkers. BiLSTM and reservoir SNN achieve 90 and 85% classification accuracy, while NeuCube achieves 97%, all methods pinpointing potential biomarkers like T6, F7, C4, and F8. The research bears implications for refining online EEG classification, analysis, and early brain state diagnosis, enhancing AI models with interpretability and discovery. The proposed techniques hold promise for streamlined brain-computer interfaces and clinical applications, representing a significant advancement in pattern discovery across the three most popular neural network methods for addressing a crucial problem. Further research is planned to study how early can these diagnostic biomarkers predict an onset of brain states.

LncRNA LINC00466 Promotes the Progression of Breast Cancer via miR-4731-5p/EPHA2 Pathway.

Breast Cancer (BC) is a female malignancy with a high mortality rate. Novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers are valuable for reducing BC mortality. Our study is designed to undrape the precise role of the LINC00466/miR-4731-5p/EPHA2 axis in BC. <P> </P> Methods: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) sequencing dataset was utilized to compare the levels of LINC00466. The levels of LINC00466, miR-4731-5p, and EPHA2 were tested by qRTPCR. Cell proliferation and cycle were detected by CCK-8 assay and flow cytometer. In vivo role of LINC00466 was tested by Xenograft nude models. Binding sites were predicted by TargetScan and Starbase. The binding relationship was employed by Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA pull-down assay. <P> </P> Results: LINC00466 was increased in human breast cancer tissues. LINC00466 was negatively associated with miR-4731-5p and positively correlated with EPHA2 in human breast cancer tissues. Down-regulation of LINC00466 suppressed the proliferation and arrested the cell cycle of breast cancer cells, and inhibited tumor growth in vivo. <P> </P> Conclusion: LINC00466 promoted BC development via mediating the miR-4731-5p/EPHA2 axis, which has the potential value as a promising therapeutic target in BC.

Potential clinical applications of extracellular vesicles in pancreatic cancer: exploring untapped opportunities from biomarkers to novel therapeutic approaches

Pancreatic cancer is a highly lethal and metastatic malignancy, mainly because it often remains undetected until advanced stages due to the limitations of current diagnostic methods, rendering currently available therapies ineffective. Therefore, it is imperative to identify useful biomarkers for early diagnosis and new therapeutic targets for pancreatic cancer. Recently, extracellular vesicles have emerged as promising biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of pancreatic cancer. Given their presence in various bodily fluids, extracellular vesicles offer a non-invasive approach through liquid biopsy to detect and monitor cancer progression. In this review, we comprehensively examine the multifaceted roles of extracellular vesicles in the progression of cancer, while also exploring their potential as diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic biomarkers in the context of pancreatic cancer.