Study on the Value of Ultrasound Elastography Combined with Plasma miRNA Expression in the Early Detection of Breast Cancer

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignant tumor in women, and its morbidity and mortality are increasing each year, due to the lack of specific clinical symptoms in the early stage of BC, and the lack of diagnostic methods for early breast cancer. Therefore, identifying an effective diagnostic method for early BC has become urgent. Materials and Methods: Breast lesions with a histological diagnosis that were examined by ultrasonic elastography (UE) in our department from June 2020 to December 2021 were reviewed. qRT-PCR was performed to measure the expression levels of miR-144-5p and miR-26b-5p in the plasma of patients with BC. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve and area under the curve (AUC) were used to investigate the potential diagnostic value of miR- 144-5p, miR-26b-5p and the elastographic score in BC. Results: The ultrasonic elastography score(UES) was found to be significantly upregulated in BC compared with that in benign breast lesions, and the AUC, sensitivity and specificity were 0.809, 0.717 and 0.806 for distinguishing BC from benign breast lesions, respectively. miR-144-5p and miR-26b- 5p were found to be upregulated in the plasma of BC patients, and miR-144-5p+miR-26b-5p had 0.781 sensitivity and 0.780 specificity for the diagnosis of BC. Furthermore, we found that the diagnostic performance of miR-144-5p and miR-26b-5p combined with UES for BC had 0.913 sensitivity and 0.890 specificity. Conclusions: The combination of plasma miR-144-5p, miR-26b-5p and UES has a very high clinical application value for the early detection of BC.     

Plasma miRNA-based signatures in CRC screening programs

Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programs help diagnose cancer precursors and early cancers and help reduce CRC mortality. However, currently recommended tests, the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) and colonoscopy, have low uptake. There is therefore a pressing need for screening strategies that are minimally invasive and consequently more acceptable to patients, most likely blood based, to increase early CRC identification. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) released from cancer cells are detectable in plasma in a remarkably stable form, making them ideal cancer biomarkers. Using plasma samples from FIT-positive (FIT+) subjects in an Italian CRC screening program, we aimed to identify plasma circulating miRNAs that detect early CRC. miRNAs were initially investigated by quantitative real-time PCR in plasma from 60 FIT+ subjects undergoing colonoscopy at Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, then tested on an internal validation cohort (IVC, 201 cases) and finally in a large multicenter prospective series (external validation cohort [EVC], 1121 cases). For each endoscopic lesion (low-grade adenoma [LgA], high-grade adenoma [HgA], cancer lesion [CL]), specific signatures were identified in the IVC and confirmed on the EVC. A two-miRNA-based signature for CL and six-miRNA signatures for LgA and HgA were selected. In a multivariate analysis including sex and age at blood collection, the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (95% confidence interval) of the signatures were 0.644 (0.607–0.682), 0.670 (0.626–0.714) and 0.682 (0.580–0.785) for LgA, HgA and CL, respectively. A miRNA-based test could be introduced into the FIT+ workflow of CRC screening programs so as to schedule colonoscopies only for subjects likely to benefit most.     

凉血通瘀方干预高血压大鼠急性脑出血模型对脑组织中差异miRNA表达的影响＊

目的 研究凉血通瘀方对高血压大鼠急性脑出血模型脑组织miRNA表达的影响，对差异表达的miRNA靶基因进行分析，探索凉血通瘀方可能的药效机制。方法 将自发性高血压大鼠随机分成对照组（B）和实验组（C）。适应性饲养一周后，C组灌胃凉血通瘀方，B组灌胃等体积生理盐水，连续5天，每天1次。构建脑出血模型后收集脑组织，借助全转录组测序技术获得miRNA表达量，与miRBase数据库比对获取已知miRNA，使用miRDeep2预测新miRNA。差异分析软件为DESeq2，筛选阈值为|log₂FC| ≥1 并且P <0.05。对显著差异表达的miRNA进行靶基因预测，对靶基因进行GO功能、KEGG通路富集和PPI网络分析。结果 实验组和对照组对比，共发现21个显著差异表达的miRNA，上调有9个，下调有12个，共预测得到1243个有统计学意义的靶基因。GO富集分析发现，生物过程中突触囊泡分泌的调节、神经递质分泌的调节和神经递质运输的调节占前三位，神经元投射终点、全膜、质膜区域和细胞投射则是主要的细胞成分。分子功能分别为小GTPase绑定、底物特异性跨膜转运蛋白活性和离子跨膜转运体活性。通路分析结果显示，靶基因在癌证通路、pI3K-Akt信号通路、人类乳头瘤病毒感染、神经活性配体-受体相互作用和MAPK通路等分布广泛。采用STRING网站和Cytoscape软件，根据MCC算法筛选出ADRA2C、CASR、CCL28、CCR1、DRD2、GNAT3、GRM2、DYNC1LI1、GABBR1、GNAI1等核心靶基因。结论 凉血通瘀方对脑出血急性期鼠脑组织内miRNA的表达有重要影响；显著差异表达miRNAs可能通过靶向核心基因调控凉血通瘀方干预急性脑出血的病理过程及预后。     

外周血液中miRNA表达与老年性黄斑变性相关性研究

目的　检测微小核糖核酸（microribonucleicacids，miRNA）在老年性黄斑变性（age-related macular degeneration，AMD）患者中的表达，并探讨miRNA的表达量与AMD病程之间的关系。方法　选取2014年1月至2016年11月于同济大学附属第十人民医院眼科门诊就诊的AMD患者6例为试验组，并选取同期6名正常人为对照组，通过基因芯片技术检测两组血液中miRNA的表达量。扩大样本的病例对照研究中共纳入126例AMD患者和140名正常人，检测其血液样本中miRNA的表达，比较两组人群间miRNA的表达量差异。结果　通过基因芯片技术，在试验组与对照组间共检测出216个miRNA存在表达差异（均为P<0.05），与对照组相比，试验组中111个miRNA表达量上升，105个miRNA表达量下降，差异均有统计学意义（均为P<0.05）。扩大样本的病例对照研究结果表明，在AMD患者中，miR-27a-3p、miR-29b-3p、miR-195-5p的表达量显著上升，同时，湿性AMD患者血液中miR-27a-3p的表达量高于干性AMD患者，差异均有统计学意义（均为P<0.05）。结论　AMD患者外周血中miRNA表达量水平有明显变化，miR-27a-3p、miR-29b-3p、miR-195-5p可能成为AMD血清学诊断和预后的标志物。     

Hair shaft miRNA‐221 levels as a new tumor marker of malignant melanoma

miRNA‐221 (miR‐221) is known to be abnormally expressed in many human cancers. The serum levels of miR‐221 have been reported as a tumor marker for malignant melanoma (MM). We hypothesized that the hair shaft miR‐221 levels may be increased in patients with MM. We therefore assessed the possibility that hair shaft miR‐221 levels could be a marker for MM. The hair shaft miR‐221 levels were significantly higher in patients with MM than controls. The rates of increased hair shaft miR‐221 levels above the cut‐off value were comparable to those of serum 5‐S‐CD, which is a tumor marker commonly used for MM. Measurements of the hair shaft miR‐221 levels could have potential clinical value in the detection of MM. This is the first report investigating the hair shaft levels of an miRNA in patients with MM. Our investigations offer new insight into the relationship between miR‐221 and MM, and may provide a new, non‐invasive way to screen for melanoma.     

The relationships among monocyte subsets,miRNAs and inflammatory cytokines in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Background

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) causes irreversible myocardial damage and release of inflammatory mediators, including cytokines, chemokines and miRNAs. We aimed to investigate changes in the levels of cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α and IL-10), miRNAs profiles (miR-146 and miR-155) and distribution of different monocyte subsets (CD14++CD16-, CD14++CD16+, CD14+CD16++) in the acute and post-healing phases of AMI.

miRNA93和miRNA192在H3N2亚型SIV病毒复制及宿主抗病毒免疫中的作用

目的 探讨分离于广西猪流感病毒SW/Guangxi/NS2783/2010和SW/Guangxi/NS650/2012跨种属感染人肺腺癌A549细胞的miRNA93和miRNA192对病毒复制及宿主抗病毒免疫的影响。方法 通过测定不同稀释浓度的病毒感染细胞HA滴度值,确定病毒最佳稀释浓度。荧光定量PCR检测病毒感染细胞后miRNA93和miRNA192表达,Western blot检测病毒NP和HA蛋白表达水平;转染miRNA93和miRNA192抑制剂后,重新检测miRNA93、miRNA192、IFN-β及病毒NP、HA蛋白表达水平。结果 不同稀释度病毒感染人A549细胞后HA滴度的结果显示病毒SW2783的最佳稀释度为10^-3,而SW650的HA滴度无明显变化趋势,提示病毒SW2783对人A549细胞具有较好的适应性和感染能力。荧光定量PCR和Western blot结果提示两株病毒感染细胞后病毒NP和HA蛋白表达均先升高后降低,加入miRNA93抑制剂,两株病毒NP和HA蛋白的表达均上调;加入miRNA192抑制剂,病毒SW2783的HA蛋白表达下调（P=2.10×10^-4）,而SW650的HA蛋白表达上调（P=5.45×10^-5）,NP蛋白反而下调（P=0.034）;ELISA结果提示病毒SW2783和SW650感染细胞后炎症因子IFN-β表达水平随感染时间延长而升高。结论 研究表明miRNA93和miRNA192的表达与SIV病毒增殖及宿主抗病毒免疫有关,可作为干预猪流感病毒跨种属感染的新靶点。     

lncRNA/miRNA在胰腺癌发生发展中的研究进展

ncRNA/miRNA在多种实体肿瘤中表达异常，参与肿瘤的增殖、侵袭、转移。胰腺癌是发病率较高、死亡率高的恶性肿瘤，通过深入研究lncRNA/miRNA在胰腺癌发生发展中的分子机制，可为胰腺癌的治疗提供新的靶点。     

microRNA在结肠癌组织的表达及其临床意义

目的 探讨结肠癌组织与对应正常结肠组织miRNA表达特征及其在结肠癌的诊断中的意义.方法 通过定量聚合酶链反应(qRT-PCR)法检测了6对结肠癌及其远端正常结肠的手术标本中200种miRNA的表达情况,并应用PAM分析法探讨miRNA在预测结肠癌病变中的作用.结果 检测6对结肠癌及其远端正常结肠的手术标本中miRNA的表达情况发现在结肠癌组织/远端正常结肠组织中存在132种miRNA,并且有95种miRNA在结肠癌发生过程中表达量发生了显著的变化(变化倍数大于1.5),其中有48种表达增加应用PAM分析方法对9对结肠癌组织/远端正常结肠组织进行了定性判断,发现预测结果 与病理切片诊断结果 一致.结论 miRNA与结肠癌的发展有着密切的联系,并且其可以作为一个有效的肿瘤标志物以进行结肠癌的早期预测和诊断.