BC-miR: Monitoring Breast Cancer-Related miRNA Profile in Blood Sera—A Prosperous Approach for Tumor Detection

Exosomal noncoding RNA (ncRNA) in breast cancer pathogenesis and therapy; two sides of the same coin

Over the past few years, breast cancer has become the most prevalent type of cancer globally, with the primary cause of death from the disease being metastatic cancer. This has led to the development of early detection techniques, mainly using non-invasive biomarkers in a range of body fluids. Exosomes are unique extracellular vesicles (EVs) transmitting cellular signals over great distances via various cargo. They are readily apparent in physiological fluids due to release by breast cancer cells or breast cancer-tumor microenvironment (TME) cells. In light of this, numerous biological and functional facets of human tumours, such as breast cancer, are intimately associated with exosomal noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), containing miRNAs (microRNAs), lncRNAs (long noncoding RNAs), and circRNAs (circular RNAs). Exosomal ncRNAs serve a critical role in various steps of breast cancer development, enabling the exchange of genetic information between cancer cells and other cells (e.g., immune cells), thus regulating tumour angiogenesis, growth, metastasis, immune responses and drug resistance. They interact with multiple regulatory complexes with dissimilar enzymatic actions, which, in turn, modify the chromatin sceneries, including nucleosome modifications, DNA methylation, and histone modifications. Herein, we look into the exosomes' underlying regulatory mechanisms in breast cancer. Furthermore, we inspect the existing understanding of the functions of exosomal miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs in breast cancer to authenticate their possible significance in identifying biomarkers, deciphering their role in immune escape and drug resistance, and finally, analyzing treatment practices.

miR-21, miR-29a, and miR-106b: serum and tissue biomarkers with diagnostic potential in metastatic testicular cancer

The imperative need for sensitive and precise tools is underscored in cancer diagnostics, with biomarkers playing a pivotal role in facilitating early detection and tumor diagnosis. Despite their classical pathological classification, testicular tumors lack valuable markers, emphasizing the necessity to identify and apply serum tumor markers in clinical management. Unfortunately, existing biomarkers exhibit limited sensitivities and specificities. Recent years have witnessed the discovery of novel RNA molecules, presenting a potential breakthrough as diagnostic tools and promising biomarkers. This report presents compelling evidence supporting the detection of early testicular cancer by applying a set of nine microRNAs (miRNAs), establishing them as valuable serum biomarkers for diagnosis. We developed a standardized serum-based measurement protocol and conducted comprehensive statistical analyses on the dataset to underscore the diagnostic accuracy of the miRNA pool. Notably, with a sensitivity exceeding 93%, miR-21, miR-29a, and miR-106b surpass classical serum tumor markers in the context of testicular cancer. Specifically, these miRNAs are poised to enhance clinical decision-making in testicular cancer detection and hold the potential for assessing tumor growth in monitoring chemotherapy outcomes.

Prognostic potential of CUL3 ligase with differential roles in luminal A and basal type breast cancer tumors

Breast cancer is a prevalent and significant cause of mortality in women, and manifests as six molecular subtypes. Its further histologic classification into non-invasive ductal or lobular carcinoma (DCIS) and invasive carcinoma (ILC or IDC) underscores its heterogeneity. The ubiquitin-proteasome system plays a crucial role in breast cancer, with inhibitors targeting the 26S proteasome showing promise in clinical treatment. The Cullin-RING ubiquitin ligases, including CUL3, have direct links to breast cancer. This study focuses on CUL3 as a potential biomarker, leveraging high-throughput sequencing, gene expression profiling, experimental and data analysis tools. Through comprehensive analysis using databases like GEPIA2 and UALCAN, as well as TCGA datasets, CUL3's expression and its association with prognostic values were assessed. Additionally, the impact of CUL3 overexpression was explored in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines, revealing distinct differences in molecular and phenotypic characteristics. We further profiled its expression and localization in breast cancer tissues identifying prominent differences between luminal A and TNBC tumors. Conclusively, CUL3 was found to be associated with cell cycle progression, and DNA damage response, exhibiting diverse roles depending on the tumor's molecular type. It exhibits a tendency to act as an oncogene in triple-negative tumors and as a tumor suppressor in luminal A types, suggesting a potential significance in breast cancer progression and therapeutic directions.

Medical Relevance, State-of-the-Art and Perspectives of "Sweet Metacode" in Liquid Biopsy Approaches

This review briefly introduces readers to an area where glycomics meets modern oncodiagnostics with a focus on the analysis of sialic acid (Neu5Ac)-terminated structures. We present the biochemical perspective of aberrant sialylation during tumourigenesis and its significance, as well as an analytical perspective on the detection of these structures using different approaches for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. We also provide a comparison to other established liquid biopsy approaches, and we mathematically define an early-stage cancer based on the overall prognosis and effect of these approaches on the patient's quality of life. Finally, some barriers including regulations and quality of clinical validations data are discussed, and a perspective and major challenges in this area are summarised.

Potential Role of Selected miRNAs in the Pathogenesis of Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases in Children and Adolescents

BACKGROUND

Many epigenetic factors, including microRNAs, are involved in the process of changing gene expressions. Small non-coding RNA molecules, called miRNAs, are responsible for regulating gene translation by silencing or degrading target mRNAs. It is acknowledged that for many diseases, they may be novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases are more likely to develop nodules in the thyroid tissue, and Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease predispose patients to thyroid cancer. We evaluated the concentrations of microRNA molecules (miR-15a-5p, miR-126-3p, miR-142-5p, miR-21-5p, miR-150-5p) in the blood of children with thyroid disorders. In addition, we wished to identify molecules whose change in concentration predisposes to the development of thyroid cancer.

AIM

The aim of this study is to evaluate selected epigenetic elements by analyzing the levels of miR-15a-5p, miR-126-3p, miR-142-5p, miR-150-5p and miR-21-5p in the blood of pediatric patients with Graves' disease (n = 25), Hashimoto's thyroiditis (n = 26) and thyroid nodular disease (n = 20) compared to a control group of healthy children (n = 17).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study consists of groups of children and adolescents aged 10-18 years with autoimmune thyroid disease, with thyroid nodular disease compared to a control group. The miR-15a-5p, miR-126-3p, miR-142-5p, miR-21-5p and miR-150-5p molecules were determined through an immunoenzymatic assay using BioVendor reagents.

RESULTS

There is a statistically significant decrease in the expression of the miR-15a-5p in children with Graves' disease (21.61 vs. 50.22 amol/μL, p = 0.03) and in patients with thyroid nodular disease compared to controls (20.23 vs. 50.22 amol/μL, p = 0.04). Higher levels of the miR-142-5p molecule are found in patients with thyroid disease (with GD-3.8 vs. 3.14 amol/μL, p = 0.01; with HT-3.7 vs. 3.14 amol/μL, p = NS, with thyroid nodular disease-4.16 vs. 3.14 amol/μL, p = 0.04). Lower levels of miR-126-3p were noted in the GD group compared to the control group (7.09 vs. 7.24 amol/μL, p = 0.02). No statistically significant changes in the expressions of miR-150-5p and miR-21-5p molecules were observed in the study groups.

CONCLUSIONS

1. The overexpression of the miR-142-5p molecule occurs in children and adolescents with thyroid diseases. 2. Decreased blood levels of miR-15a-5p predispose patients to the formation of focal lesions in the thyroid gland. 3. Identifying a lower expression of the miR-126-3p molecule in the blood of children with GD requires careful follow-up for the development of focal lesions in the thyroid gland and evaluation for their potential malignancy.

Routine molecular applications and recent advances in breast cancer diagnostics

Cancer stands as one of the most common and lethal diseases, imposing a substantial burden on global mortality rates. Breast cancer is distinct from other forms of cancer in which it is the primary cause of death for women. Early detection of breast cancer can significantly lower the risk of mortality, improving the prognosis for those who are affected. The death rate of breast cancer has been steadily rising, according to epidemiological data, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. This emphasizes the necessity of sensitive and precise technologies that can be utilized in early breast cancer diagnosis. In this process, biomarkers play a pivotal role by facilitating the early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. Currently, a wide variety of cancer biomarkers have been identified, improving the accuracy of cancer diagnosis. These biomarkers can be applied in liquid biopsies as well as on solid tissues. In the context of breast cancer, biomarkers are particularly valuable for determining who is predisposed to the disease, predicting prognosis at the time of diagnosis, and selecting the best course of therapy. This review comprehensively explores the recently developed gene-based biomarkers from biofluids that are used in the context of breast cancer, as well as the conventional and cutting-edge techniques that have been employed for breast cancer diagnosis.

Effective exosomes in breast cancer: focusing on diagnosis and treatment of cancer progression

Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent aggressive malignant tumor in women worldwide and develops from breast tissue. Although cutting-edge treatment methods have been used and current mortality rates have decreased, BC control is still not satisfactory. Clarifying the underlying molecular mechanisms will help clinical options. Extracellular vesicles known as exosomes mediate cellular communication by delivering a variety of biomolecules, including proteins, oncogenes, oncomiRs, and even pharmacological substances. These transferable bioactive molecules can alter the transcriptome of target cells and affect signaling pathways that are related to tumors. Numerous studies have linked exosomes to BC biology, including therapeutic resistance and the local microenvironment. Exosomes' roles in tumor treatment resistance, invasion, and BC metastasis are the main topics of discussion in this review.

Data-driven phenomapping for novel classification for cardiovascular outcomes compared with traditional obesity index: Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to propose a data-driven framework for classification of at-risk people for cardiovascular outcomes regarding obesity and metabolic syndrome.

DESIGN

A population-based prospective cohort study with a long-term follow-up.

SETTING

Data from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS) were interrogated.

PARTICIPANTS

12 808 participants of the TLGS cohort, aged ≥20 years who have followed for over 15 years were assessed.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Data for 12 808 participants, aged ≥20 years who have followed for over 15 years, collected through TLGS as a prospective, population-based cohort study, were analysed. Feature engineering followed by hierarchical clustering was used to determine meaningful clusters and novel endophenotypes. Cox regression was used to demonstrate the clinical validity of phenomapping. The performance of endophenotype compared with traditional classifications was evaluated by the value of Akaike information criterion/Bayesian information criterion. R software V.4.2 was employed.

RESULTS

The mean age was 42.1±14.9 years, 56.2% were female, 13.1%, 2.8% and 6.2% had experienced cardiovascular disease (CVD), CVD mortality and hard CVD, respectively. Low-risk cluster compared with the high risk had significant difference in age, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, 2 hours post load plasma glucose, triglyceride, triglycerides to high density lipoprotein ratio, education, marital status, smoking and the presence of metabolic syndrome. Eight distinct endophenotypes were detected with significantly different clinical characteristics and outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Phenomapping resulted in a novel classification of population with cardiovascular outcomes, which can, better, stratify individuals into homogeneous subclasses for prevention and intervention as an alternative of traditional methods solely based on either obesity or metabolic status. These findings have important clinical implications for a particular part of the Middle Eastern population for which it is a common practice to use tools/evidence derived from western populations with substantially different backgrounds and risk profiles.

Extracellular Vesicles in Breast Cancer: From Biology and Function to Clinical Diagnosis and Therapeutic Management

Breast cancer (BC) is the first worldwide most frequent cancer in both sexes and the most commonly diagnosed in females. Although BC mortality has been thoroughly declining over the past decades, there are still considerable differences between women diagnosed with early BC and when metastatic BC is diagnosed. BC treatment choice is widely dependent on precise histological and molecular characterization. However, recurrence or distant metastasis still occurs even with the most recent efficient therapies. Thus, a better understanding of the different factors underlying tumor escape is mainly mandatory. Among the leading candidates is the continuous interplay between tumor cells and their microenvironment, where extracellular vesicles play a significant role. Among extracellular vesicles, smaller ones, also called exosomes, can carry biomolecules, such as lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, and generate signal transmission through an intercellular transfer of their content. This mechanism allows tumor cells to recruit and modify the adjacent and systemic microenvironment to support further invasion and dissemination. By reciprocity, stromal cells can also use exosomes to profoundly modify tumor cell behavior. This review intends to cover the most recent literature on the role of extracellular vesicle production in normal and cancerous breast tissues. Specific attention is paid to the use of extracellular vesicles for early BC diagnosis, follow-up, and prognosis because exosomes are actually under the spotlight of researchers as a high-potential source of liquid biopsies. Extracellular vesicles in BC treatment as new targets for therapy or efficient nanovectors to drive drug delivery are also summarized.

Advances in the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Minimal Residual Lesions of Breast Cancer

PURPOSE

To review the latest research of minimal residual disease (MRD) in breast cancer as well as some emerging or potential detection methods for MRD in breast cancer.

METHODS

Springer, Wiley, and PubMed databases were searched for the electronic literature with search terms of breast cancer, minimal residual disease, circulating tumor cells (CTCs), circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), exosomes, etc. RESULTS: Minimal residual disease refers to the occult micrometastasis or minimal residual lesions detected in patients with tumor after radical treatment. An early and dynamic monitoring of breast cancer MRD can contribute to clinical treatment decision-making, improving the diagnosis accuracy and prognosis of breast cancer patients. The updated knowledge regarding MRD in breast cancer diagnosis and prognosis were summarized, followed by the review of several emerging or potential detection technologies for MRD in breast cancer. With the developed new MRD detection technologies referring to CTCs, ctDNA and exosomes, the role of MRD in breast cancer has been growingly verified, which is expected to serve as a new risk stratification factor and prognostic indicator for breast cancer.

CONCLUSION

This paper systematically reviews the research progress, opportunities and challenges in MRD in breast cancer in recent years.