MicroRNAs expression profiling in Egyptian colorectal cancer patients

Impacts of host factors on susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 progression

SARS-CoV-2, identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, is the third coronavirus responsible for a global epidemic, following SARS-CoV (2002) and MERS-CoV (2012). Given the recent emergence of COVID-19, comprehensive immunological data are still limited. The susceptibility and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection are influenced by various host factors, including hormonal changes, genetic variations, inflammatory biomarkers, and behavioral attitudes. Identifying genetic factors contributing to infection severity may accelerate therapeutic development, including drug repurposing, natural extracts, and post-vaccine interventions (Initiative and Covid, 2021). This review discusses the human protein machinery involved in (a) SARS-CoV-2 host receptors, (b) the human immune response, and (c) the impact of demographic and genetic differences on individual risk for COVID-19. This review aims to clarify host factors implicated in SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and progression, highlighting potential therapeutic targets and supportive treatment strategies.

Advances in microRNAs as Emerging Biomarkers for Colorectal Cancer Early Detection and Diagnosis

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, necessitating advancements in early detection and innovative treatment strategies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs involved in gene regulation, have emerged as crucial players in the pathogenesis of CRC. This review synthesizes the latest findings on miRNA deregulated in precancerous lesions and in CRC. By examining the deregulation patterns of miRNAs across different stages of CRC development, this review highlights their potential as diagnostic tools. We specifically analyse the roles and diagnostic relevance of four miRNAs-miR-15b, miR-21, miR-31, and miR-146a-that consistently exhibit altered expression in CRC. The current knowledge of their role in key oncogenic pathways, drug resistance, and clinical relevance is discussed. Despite challenges posed by the heterogeneity of the research findings on miRNA deregulation and their role in CRC, integrating miRNA diagnostics into current screening methods holds promise for enhancing personalized medicine approaches. This review emphasizes the transformative potential of miRNAs in CRC diagnosis, paving the way for improved patient outcomes and novel therapeutic paradigms.

A Systematic Review of Diagnostic Performance of Circulating MicroRNAs in Colorectal Cancer Detection with a Focus on Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer

The rising incidence and mortality of early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC) emphasize the urgent need for effective non-invasive screening. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as promising biomarkers for cancer detection. This systematic review aims to evaluate the diagnostic performance of circulating miRNAs in detecting colorectal cancer (CRC). A literature search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus. Studies that report sensitivity, specificity, or area under the curve (AUC) for CRC detection by miRNA were included. The miRNA miR-21 was the most frequently studied biomarker, with a varying range of AUC from 0.55 to 0.973 attributed to differences in study populations and methodologies. The miRNAs miR-210 and miR-1246 showed potential diagnostic capacity with miR-1246 achieving an AUC of 0.924, 100% sensitivity, and 80% specificity. The miRNA panels offer improved diagnostic performance compared to individual miRNA. The best performing panel for CRC patients below 50 is miR-211 + miR-25 + TGF-β1 with AUC 0.99 and 100 specificity and 97 sensitivity. Circulating miRNAs hold significant promise as non-invasive biomarkers for CRC screening. However, the variability in diagnostic performance highlights the need for a standardized method and robust validation studies. Future research should focus on large-scale, ethnically diverse cohorts to establish clinically relevant miRNA biomarkers for CRC, particularly in younger populations.

Comprehensive assessment of circulatory miRNAs as potential diagnostic markers in HCV recurrence post liver transplantation

HCV recurrence after liver transplantation is one of the causal agents for graft rejection. This study aims to profile non-invasive biomarkers in patients with HCC who had liver transplants. One hundred participants were categorized into three groups (20 control, 32 recurrent HCV (RHCV), and 48 non-RHCV). The expression of six miRNAs (hsa-miR-124-3p, hsa-miR-155-5p, hsa-miR-205-5p, hsa-miR-499a-5p, hsa-miR-574-3p, and hsa-miR-103a-3p) and two mRNAs IL-1β, STAT1 were quantified. RHCV group has higher levels of hsa-miR-574-3p and hsa-miR-155-5p and lesser levels of hsa-miR-499a-5p than control groups (p = 0.024, 0.0001, 0.002; respectively). RHCV and non-RHCV groups revealed a significant reduction in levels of IL-1β and STAT1 mRNA compared to the control (p = 0.011, 0.014; respectively). According to ROC analysis, miR-155-5p can differentiate among the patients' groups, while miR-574-3p, IL-1β, and STAT1 mRNA can discriminate between RHCV and control groups. In conclusion, RHCV patients have dysregulated expression of five transcripts compared to non-RHCV and control groups.

Comparison of the diagnostic value of various microRNAs in blood for colorectal cancer: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Despite the existence of numerous studies investigating the diagnostic potential of blood microRNAs for colorectal cancer, the microRNAs under consideration vary widely, and comparative analysis of their diagnostic value is lacking. Consequently, this systematic review aims to identify the most effective microRNA blood tumor markers to enhance clinical decision-making in colorectal cancer screening.

METHOD

A comprehensive search of databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane, was conducted to identify case‒control or cohort studies that examined the diagnostic value of peripheral blood microRNAs in colorectal cancer. Studies were included if they provided sensitivity and specificity data, were published in English and were available between January 1, 2000, and February 10, 2023. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist was employed for quality assessment. A Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed to estimate combined risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), with results presented via rankograms. This study is registered with the International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols (INPLASY), 202,380,092.

RESULTS

From an initial pool of 2254 records, 79 met the inclusion criteria, encompassing a total of 90 microRNAs. The seven most frequently studied microRNAs (43 records) were selected for inclusion, all of which demonstrated moderate to high quality. miR-23, miR-92, and miR-21 exhibited the highest sensitivity and accuracy, outperforming traditional tumor markers CA19-9 and CEA in terms of RR values and 95% CI for both sensitivity and accuracy. With the exception of miR-17, no significant difference was observed between each microRNA and CA19-9 and CEA in terms of specificity.

CONCLUSIONS

Among the most extensively researched blood microRNAs, miR-23, miR-92, and miR-21 demonstrated superior diagnostic value for colorectal cancer due to their exceptional sensitivity and accuracy. This systematic review and network meta-analysis may serve as a valuable reference for the clinical selection of microRNAs as tumor biomarkers.

Role of miR-21 in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer: Meta-analysis and bioinformatics

Advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) has a bad prognosis and is challenging to cure. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an effective early diagnosis marker. MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) regulates the expression of multiple cancer target genes. The objective of this study was to assess the diagnostic role of miR-21 in CRC.A meta-analysis of PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases was performed with a carefully designed search strategy to identify records related to the diagnostic role of miR-21 in CRC. TCGA data was used to search for different microRNAs in colorectal cancer samples and surrounding tissues. In addition, potential target genes for miR-21 were predicted and evaluated by functional analysis. We conducted a meta-analysis for 10 studies, including 728 blood samples of patients with CRC and 472 healthy controls. The combined sensitivity and specificity of miR-21 to diagnose colorectal cancer were 0.79 (95% CI: 0.67-0.87) and 0.92 (95% CI: 0.85-0.96), respectively. The combined positive likelihood ratio (PLR) was 10.20 (95% CI: 4.8-21.5), the combined negative likelihood ratio (NLR) was 0.23 (95% CI: 0.14-0.37), the diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) was 45.00 (95% CI:15-132), the area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve (SROC) for the included studies was 0.93(95%CI: 0.91-0.95). Simultaneously, TCGA data showed that miR-21 was a differential microRNA in colorectal cancer tissues and adjacent tissues, and it was an up-regulated gene. After verification by three databases, 48 target genes of miR-21 were obtained. Through GO enrichment analysis, it was found that the target genes were mainly distributed in the fiber center, the molecular function was mainly focused on cytokine receptor binding, and the biological process was mainly focused on ubiquitin-dependent protein catabolism mediated by the proteasome. KEGG pathway analysis showed that the target genes were mainly distributed in tumor pathways.

MicroRNA Biomarkers as Promising Tools for Early Colorectal Cancer Screening-A Comprehensive Review

Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks as the third most prevalent cancer worldwide. Early detection of this neoplasia has proven to improve prognosis, resulting in a 90% increase in survival. However, available CRC screening methods have limitations, requiring the development of new tools. MicroRNA biomarkers have emerged as a powerful screening tool, as they are highly expressed in CRC patients and easily detectable in several biological samples. While microRNAs are extensively studied in blood samples, recent interest has now arisen in other samples, such as stool samples, where they can be combined with existing screening methods. Among the microRNAs described in the literature, microRNA-21-5p and microRNA-92a-3p and their cluster have demonstrated high potential for early CRC screening. Furthermore, the combination of multiple microRNAs has shown improved performance in CRC detection compared to individual microRNAs. This review aims to assess the available data in the literature on microRNAs as promising biomarkers for early CRC screening, explore their advantages and disadvantages, and discuss the optimal study characteristics for analyzing these biomarkers.

Assessment of Immunohistochemical Expression of CD44 and Osteopontin in Colorectal Carcinoma and colorectal adenoma.. [DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2574213/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0]

Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a foremost global health concern and remains one of the major causes of cancer-related morbidity and mortality. It is the third most common cancer in adults after lung cancer and breast cancer worldwide. The theory that cancer originates from a subpopulation of tumor cells, named cancer stem cells (CSC), they have important role of CSC in the initiation and maintenance of the tumor, as well as invasion, metastasis and therapeutic resistance. Among CSC markers, CD44 and OPN are two of the most investigated colorectal CSC markers and their proteins are introduced as the subpopulation with a greater tumorigenicity. This study aiming assessing the immunohistochemical expression of CD44 & OPN in colorectal adenomas & CRCs. And their relation between immunohistochemical expression of CD44 & OPN with tumor differentiation (grading), lympho-vascular invasion, perineural invasion, desmoplasia and TNM stage. Methods this is a retrospective descriptive study that included Sixty paraffin embedded blocks from the pathology laboratory, Suez Canal University Hospital. Paraffin blocks included (14 cases of colorectal carcinoma and 18 cases of colorectal adenoma). paraffin blocks reviewed for clinicopathological prognostic factors and stained by CD44 & OPN, monoclonal antibodies by immunohistochemical method. Results The CD44 protein was overexpressed in 80% of CRC, while was positive (44.4%) in adenoma this difference was statistically significant. Also, in this study the difference between the expression OPN in CRC and adenomas was statistically insignificant. Conclusions CD 44 is highly expressed in large number of CRC (80 of tumors). It is also significantly more expressed in CRC than in adenomas, suggesting a role of CD 44 in CRC tumorigenesis and progression of adenomas into carcinomas. Our study also associated CD 44 overexpression with both late TNM stage and lympho-vascular invasion.

Liquid biopsy-based microRNA models as potential biomarkers of bowel conditions

MicroRNAs detected in liquid biopsies have demonstrated to have potential as biomarkers of benign and malignant bowel conditions. Numerous studies have reported on the combination of different microRNAs to improve the diagnostic capabilities in the detection of bowel conditions. This editorial will be reviewing the best scientific evidence available to this date on studies showing microRNA models with sensitivity and specificity values. Also, the current challenges on how to implement microRNAs in the routine clinical practice are exposed.

Investigating the Role of Circulating miRNAs as Biomarkers in Colorectal Cancer: An Epidemiological Systematic Review

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Primary and secondary preventions are key to reducing the global burden. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of small non-coding RNA molecules, which seem to have a role either as tumor suppressor genes or oncogenes and to be related to cancer risk factors, such as obesity and inflammation. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify circulating miRNAs related to CRC diagnosis that could be selected as biomarkers in a meet-in-the-middle analysis. Forty-four studies were included in the systematic review and nine studies in the meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of miR-21 for CRC diagnosis were 77% (95% CI: 69–84) and 82% (95% CI: 70–90), respectively, with an AUC of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.82–0.88). Several miRNAs were found to be dysregulated, distinguishing patients with CRC from healthy controls. However, little consistency was present across the included studies, making it challenging to identify specific miRNAs, which were consistently validated. Understanding the mechanisms by which miRNAs become biologically embedded in cancer initiation and promotion may help better understand cancer pathways to develop more effective prevention strategies and therapy approaches.

Highly Sensitive Serum miRNA Panel for the Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Egyptian Patients with HCV-Related HCC

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed at exploring the potential role of a panel of serum micro-RNA (miRNA) markers in liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) diagnosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

METHODS

The study included 157 chronic HCV patients and 62 HCC patients who presented to the Cairo University Center for Hepatic Fibrosis, Endemic Medicine Department, from 2015 to 2017. Relevant clinical and laboratory data were collected and sera were subjected to miRNA expression profiling. Eleven miRNA markers were studied and receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to investigate the best cutoff values of the miRNAs that showed altered expression in HCC compared to HCV-associated advanced fibrosis.

RESULTS

miRNA expression profiling revealed 5 miRNAs (miR-124, miR-141, miR-205, miR-208a, miR-499a) were significantly upregulated and 2 miRNAs were significantly downregulated (miR-103a, miR-15a) in HCC compared to advanced fibrosis patients. No significant difference was observed in miRNA expression between advanced fibrosis and early hepatic fibrosis apart from a significant downregulation of miR-155-5p in advanced fibrosis.

CONCLUSION

Serum miRNAs could serve as potential diagnostic tools for the diagnosis of HCC.

A microRNA panel compared to environmental and polygenic scores for colorectal cancer risk prediction

Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) could improve colorectal cancer (CRC) risk prediction. Here, we derive a blood-based miRNA panel and evaluate its ability to predict CRC occurrence in a population-based cohort of adults aged 50-75 years. Forty-one miRNAs are preselected from independent studies and measured by quantitative-real-time-polymerase-chain-reaction in serum collected at baseline of 198 participants who develop CRC during 14 years of follow-up and 178 randomly selected controls. A 7-miRNA score is derived by logistic regression. Its predictive ability, quantified by the optimism-corrected area-under-the-receiver-operating-characteristic-curve (AUC) using .632+ bootstrap is 0.794. Predictive ability is compared to that of an environmental risk score (ERS) based on known risk factors and a polygenic risk score (PRS) based on 140 previously identified single-nucleotide-polymorphisms. In participants with all scores available, optimism-corrected-AUC is 0.802 for the 7-miRNA score, while AUC (95% CI) is 0.557 (0.498-0.616) for the ERS and 0.622 (0.564-0.681) for the PRS.

The Potential Diagnostic Accuracy of Let-7 Family for Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

Background:

Cancer is a global public health problem affecting human health. Early stage of cancer diagnosis, when it is not too large and has not spread is important for successful treatment. Many researchers have proposed that the let-7 microRNA family can be used as a biomarker for cancer diagnosis. The aim of this meta-analysis is to evaluate whether let-7 family can be used as a diagnostic tool for cancer patients.

Methods:

We conducted a comprehensive literature search on PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Wanfang database, updated to October 23, 2020. A random effects model was used to pool the sensitivity and specificity. Besides, we measured the diagnostic value using positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) and area under the curve (AUC) were pooled. In addition, meta-regression and subgroup analysis were performed to explore the possible sources of heterogeneity, and Deeks’ funnel chart was used to assess whether there was publication bias.

Results:

31 studies from 15 articles were included in the current meta-analysis. The overall sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR, DOR and AUC were 0.80 (95% CI: 0.75-0.85), 0.81 (95% CI: 0.74-0.86), 4.2 (95% CI: 2.9-5.9), 0.24 (95% CI: 0.19-0.32), 17 (95% CI: 10-29) and 0.87 (95% CI: 0.84-0.90), respectively. Subgroup analysis shows that the let-7 family cluster of serum type showed a better diagnostic accuracy of cancer, especially the breast cancer. Although there is no publication bias, it still has some limitations.

Conclusions:

let-7 family can be considered as a promising non-invasive diagnostic biomarker for cancer.

MicroRNAs as important contributors in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most fatal and fourth most frequently diagnosed neoplasm in the world. Numerous non-coding RNAs have been shown to contribute in the development of CRC. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are among the mostly assessed non-coding RNAs in CRC. These transcripts influence expression and activity of TGF-β, Wnt/β-catenin, MAPK, PI3K/AKT and other CRC-related pathways. In the context of CRC, miRNAs interact with long non-coding RNAs to influence CRC course. Stool and serum levels of miRNAs have been used to distinguish CRC patients from healthy controls, indicating diagnostic roles of these transcripts in CRC. Therapeutic application of miRNAs in CRC has been assessed in animal models, yet has not been verified in clinical settings. In the current review, we have provided a recent update on the role of miRNAs in CRC development as well as diagnostic and prognostic approaches.

The potential value of miRNA-223 as a diagnostic biomarker for Egyptian colorectal patients

OBJECTIVES

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third lethal malignancy worldwide. Dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) mediates several growth factors signaling pathways and induces abnormal genes expression, which leads to colorectal carcinogenesis. We aimed to comprehensively assess the expression of miRNA-200c, miRNA-203a, miRNA-223 in Egyptian CRC tissue and their corresponding serum samples and to explore if they have any potential prognostic or diagnostic value for CRC patients.

METHODS

A total of 195 subjects (120 CRC patients and 75 healthy controls) participated in exploration and validation sets. The relative expression of miRNA-200c, miRNA-203a, and miRNA-223 was measured in both CRC tissue and serum samples, and the expressed miRNAs were compared in different CRC grades and types and the prognostic value was evaluated.

RESULTS

The expression levels of miRNA-200c and miRNA-203a were reduced in CRC tissue samples than adjacent noncancerous tissues. miRNA-223 level was significantly upregulated in both CRC tissue and serum samples with a positive association between them (r = 0.85, P = 0.001). The miRNA-223 can effectively discriminate CRC patients from controls and can significantly differentiate between colon and rectal cancer patients. The association between serum miRNA-223 expression and CRC development was validated in the second set and the ROC curve showed highly significant prognostic value with 90.1% sensitivity, 87% specificity, and area under the curve of 0.914 (95% confidence interval: 0.830-0.978, P = 0.0001). These results showed the association between miRNA-223 upregulation and the CRC carcinogenesis.

CONCLUSION

Circulating miRNA-223 can be a potential noninvasive prognostic biomarker for Egyptian CRC patients.

Differential Expression of miR-21, miR-23a, and miR-27a, and Their Diagnostic Significance in Egyptian Colorectal Cancer Patients

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) rates are affected by genetics, ethnicity, and environmental factors; it is considered one of the most aggressive human malignancies with high mortality and morbidity rates worldwide due, in part, to its asymptomatic nature during the early stages of disease. Objective: Owing to the impact of microRNA (miRNA) dysregulation on CRC development and progression, this study was conducted to explore the expression levels of mir-21, -23a, and -27a in the sera and tissues of Egyptian CRC patients and to evaluate their diagnostic efficacy based on circulating levels. Methods: In the test phase, the relative expression levels of the studied miRNAs were evaluated in the sera of 70 participants (35 CRC patients and 35 healthy controls) using quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction and to verify their diagnostic value. The exploratory phase was designed to validate the tumor-derived trait by comparing the miRNA levels in the cancerous and adjacent noncancerous tissues. Results: The relative expression levels of the studied miRNAs were significantly upregulated in both serum and tumor tissues of the patients compared to their corresponding controls. In addition, significant positive correlations were found between the relative expression levels of the studied miRNAs in serum samples and their levels in the matched CRC tissues. The serum expression levels of mir-21 and -23a were more predictive of CRC than mir-27a. Conclusion: Circulating mir-21, -23a, and -27a expression levels appear to be valuable diagnostic biomarkers for CRC, especially when combined.