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Kan CM, Pei XM, Yeung MHY, Jin N, Ng SSM, Tsang HF, Cho WCS, Yim AKY, Yu ACS, Wong SCC. Exploring the Role of Circulating Cell-Free RNA in the Development of Colorectal Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11026. [PMID: 37446204 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241311026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Circulating tumor RNA (ctRNA) has recently emerged as a novel and attractive liquid biomarker. CtRNA is capable of providing important information about the expression of a variety of target genes noninvasively, without the need for biopsies, through the use of circulating RNA sequencing. The overexpression of cancer-specific transcripts increases the tumor-derived RNA signal, which overcomes limitations due to low quantities of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). The purpose of this work is to present an up-to-date review of current knowledge regarding ctRNAs and their status as biomarkers to address the diagnosis, prognosis, prediction, and drug resistance of colorectal cancer. The final section of the article discusses the practical aspects involved in analyzing plasma ctRNA, including storage and isolation, detection technologies, and their limitations in clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chau-Ming Kan
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xiao Meng Pei
- Department of Applied Biology & Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Martin Ho Yin Yeung
- Department of Applied Biology & Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Nana Jin
- Codex Genetics Limited, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Simon Siu Man Ng
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hin Fung Tsang
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - William Chi Shing Cho
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | | | | | - Sze Chuen Cesar Wong
- Department of Applied Biology & Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
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2
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Aynekin B, Akalin H, Muderris II, Acmaz G, Akgun H, Şahin IO, Gokce NC, Alzaidi Z, Erturk Zararsiz G, Ozkul Y, Dundar M, Saatci Ç. Biomarker potential of the GRP78 cell-free RNA in endometrial cancer. EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL HUMAN GENETICS 2022. [DOI: 10.1186/s43042-022-00355-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Circulating tumor cells represent an opportunity for the assessment of early recurrent disease or for real-time tracing of cancer. Glucose Regulated Protein 78 (GRP78) is known in the literature as a stress factor in endometrial cancer. We aimed to investigate the importance of the gene by targeting tumor traces circulating in the cell fluids of patients with Type 1 endometrial cancer, examining cell-free RNAs in patients’ samples and performing ROC analysis.
Methodology
In this study, 32 endometrial cancer patients and 20 controls were included. This in vitro study evaluated, the GRP78 cell-free mRNA expression levels in endometrial cancer patients, by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction qRT–PCR Light Cycler. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis is a tool used to identify the precision of a diagnostic test or prediction model. In our study, we investigated whether the expression levels of cell-free GRP78 mRNA could be used as a diagnostic criterion.
Results
The ROC curve results for endometrial cancer diagnostic criterion of cfRNA GRP78 mRNA indicated quite a significant value (p < 0.001).
Conclusion
Current findings show that cell-free mRNA GRP78 is now a criterion that can be used together with smear mRNA GRP78 without the need for invasive methods in endometrial cancer studies.
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3
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Sun J, Yang X, Wang T, Xing Y, Chen H, Zhu S, Zeng J, Zhou Q, Chen F, Zhang X, Wang WJ. Evaluating the Effects of Storage Conditions on Multiple Cell-Free RNAs in Plasma by High-Throughput Sequencing. Biopreserv Biobank 2022. [PMID: 36006659 DOI: 10.1089/bio.2022.0004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Plasma cell-free RNAs (cfRNAs) can serve as noninvasive biomarkers for the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases. However, the delay in blood processing may lead to unreliable results. Therefore, an unbiased evaluation based on the whole transcriptome under different storage conditions is needed. Methods: Here, blood samples were collected in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid tubes and processed immediately (0 hour), or stored at room temperature (RT) or 4°C for different time intervals (2, 6, and 24 hours) before plasma separation. High-throughput sequencing was applied to assess the effects of storage conditions on the transcript profiles and fragment characteristics of plasma cell-free mRNA, long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), and small RNAs. Results: More genes changed their expression levels with time when blood was stored at RT compared with those at 4°C. Cell-free mRNA and lncRNA were relatively stable in blood preserved at 4°C for 6 hours, while cell-free microRNA (miRNA) and piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) remained stable at 4°C for 24 hours. After 24 hours, more contamination of the leukocyte-derived RNAs occurred at RT, possibly due to apoptosis. Meanwhile, significant changes were also observed regarding the characteristics of the RNA fragments, including fragment size, the proportion of intron, and the pyrimidine frequency of the fragmented 3' end. Fifteen tissue-enriched genes were detected in the plasma but not expressed in leukocytes. The expression level and fragment length of these genes gradually decreased during storage, suggesting the degradation of the cfRNA and the dilution of leukocyte-derived RNA with other tissue-derived cfRNA. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the contamination of leukocyte-derived RNA and the degradation of original cfRNA contribute to the changes in the cfRNA expression profiles and the fragment characteristics during short-term storage. The storage of blood at 4°C for 6 hours allows plasma cfRNA to remain relatively stable, which will be useful for further studies or clinical applications where adequate quantification or the fragment signature of cfRNA is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinghua Sun
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xi Yang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | | | | | | | - Sujun Zhu
- Obstetrics Department, Shenzhen Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Juan Zeng
- Obstetrics Department, Shenzhen Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | | | | | | | - Wen-Jing Wang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Birth Defects Screening, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
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4
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Hassan S, Shehzad A, Khan SA, Miran W, Khan S, Lee YS. Diagnostic and Therapeutic Potential of Circulating-Free DNA and Cell-Free RNA in Cancer Management. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10082047. [PMID: 36009594 PMCID: PMC9405989 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10082047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Over time, molecular biology and genomics techniques have been developed to speed up the early diagnosis and clinical management of cancer. These therapies are often most effective when administered to the subset of malignancies harboring the target identified by molecular testing. Important advances in applying molecular testing involve circulating-free DNA (cfDNA)- and cell-free RNA (cfRNA)-based liquid biopsies for the diagnosis, prognosis, prediction, and treatment of cancer. Both cfDNA and cfRNA are sensitive and specific biomarkers for cancer detection, which have been clinically proven through multiple randomized and prospective trials. These help in cancer management based on the noninvasive evaluation of size, quantity, and point mutations, as well as copy number alterations at the tumor site. Moreover, personalized detection of ctDNA helps in adjuvant therapeutics and predicts the chances of recurrence of cancer and resistance to cancer therapy. Despite the controversial diagnostic values of cfDNA and cfRNA, many clinical trials have been completed, and the Food and Drug Administration has approved many multigene assays to detect genetic alterations in the cfDNA of cancer patients. In this review, we underpin the recent advances in the physiological roles of cfDNA and cfRNA, as well as their roles in cancer detection by highlighting recent clinical trials and their roles as prognostic and predictive markers in cancer management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadia Hassan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (SMME), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Adeeb Shehzad
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (SMME), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
- Correspondence: (A.S.); (Y.-S.L.)
| | - Shahid Ali Khan
- Department of Chemistry, School of Natural Sciences (SNS), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Waheed Miran
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical and Materials Engineering National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Salman Khan
- Department of pharmacy, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Young-Sup Lee
- School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
- Correspondence: (A.S.); (Y.-S.L.)
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5
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Yang SP, Koh LCW, Kong KW, Parameswaran R, Loke KSH, Ngiam KY, Tan WB, Loh T, Ng DCE, Goh BC, Ngeow J, Tai ES. A Multiplex Thyroid-Specific Assay for Quantification of Circulating Thyroid Cell-Free RNA in Plasma of Thyroid Cancer Patients. Front Genet 2021; 12:721832. [PMID: 34512731 PMCID: PMC8425593 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.721832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The standard of care for thyroid cancer management is thyroidectomy and adjuvant radioactive iodine (RAI). There is a paucity of clinical tool that quantifies residual thyroid volume reliably for precise adjuvant RAI dosing. Serum thyroglobulin (TG), tumour marker for thyroid cancer, takes 4 weeks for complete clearance due to its long half-life, and might be undetectable in 12% of structural disease patients. It detects recurrence with a sensitivity of 19-40%, mainly attributed to issue of TG antibody interference with TG immunometric assay. We hypothesise that the quantity of thyroid-specific cell-free RNA (cfRNA) is indicative of amount of thyroid tissues, and that during thyroid surgery, cfRNA levels decrease accordingly. Methods We identified 11 biologically significant and highly expressed thyroid-specific targets from Human Protein Atlas and literature. To assess for a fall in thyroid-specific cfRNA level, we recruited 16 patients undergoing thyroid surgery or RAI for malignant or benign thyroid disease, and tracked longitudinal trend of cfRNA. To assess the utility of cfRNA in detecting metastatic thyroid cancer, cfRNA of 11 patients at intermediate to high risk of recurrence was measured during surveillance and at time of clinical recurrence. Results The multiplex assay was capable of amplifying and quantifying multiple thyroid-specific genes in a single reaction. The selected targets were amplified successfully from RNA extracted directly from the thyroid (positive control), indicating that they were highly expressed within thyroid tissue. These cfRNAs were present in plasma, in amounts quantifiable using qRT-PCR. Four cfRNA transcripts (TPO, GFRA2, IVD, TG) fell post-treatment in more than 50% of cohort. The thyroid peroxidase (TPO) cfRNA fell post-therapy in 63% of cohort by 80%, as early as 1 day post-treatment, supporting the potential role as early indicator of remnant thyroid tissue volume. We demonstrated the clinical relevance of circulating TPO cfRNA by tracking temporal changes in setting of peri-treatment, recurrence, and TG Ab positive state. Conclusion Using a multiplex pre-amplification approach, the TPO cfRNA was a potential biomarker that can track residual thyroid mass. It can be further optimised for quantification of thyroid volume to guide RAI doses and for detection of thyroid cancer recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Peiling Yang
- Endocrinology Division, Department of Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.,Endocrinology Division, Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Lian Chye Winston Koh
- Molecular Engineering Lab, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A∗STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kiat Whye Kong
- Molecular Engineering Lab, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A∗STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Rajeev Parameswaran
- Department of Endocrine Surgery, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kelvin Siu Hoong Loke
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kee Yuan Ngiam
- Department of Endocrine Surgery, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Wee Boon Tan
- Department of Endocrine Surgery, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Thomas Loh
- Department of Otolaryngology Surgery, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - David Chee Eng Ng
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Boon Cher Goh
- Department of Medical Oncology, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Joanne Ngeow
- Cancer Genetics Service, Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre, Singapore, Singapore.,Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - E Shyong Tai
- Endocrinology Division, Department of Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.,Endocrinology Division, Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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6
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Assessment of Circulating Nucleic Acids in Cancer: From Current Status to Future Perspectives and Potential Clinical Applications. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13143460. [PMID: 34298675 PMCID: PMC8307284 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13143460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Current approaches for cancer detection and characterization are based on radiological procedures coupled with tissue biopsies, despite relevant limitations in terms of overall accuracy and feasibility, including relevant patients' discomfort. Liquid biopsies enable the minimally invasive collection and analysis of circulating biomarkers released from cancer cells and stroma, representing therefore a promising candidate for the substitution or integration in the current standard of care. Despite the potential, the current clinical applications of liquid biopsies are limited to a few specific purposes. The lack of standardized procedures for the pre-analytical management of body fluids samples and the detection of circulating biomarkers is one of the main factors impacting the effective advancement in the applicability of liquid biopsies to clinical practice. The aim of this work, besides depicting current methods for samples collection, storage, quality check and biomarker extraction, is to review the current techniques aimed at analyzing one of the main circulating biomarkers assessed through liquid biopsy, namely cell-free nucleic acids, with particular regard to circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). ctDNA current and potential applications are reviewed as well.
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7
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Bodlak A, Chang K, Channel J, Treece AL, Donaldson N, Cost CR, Garrington TP, Greffe B, Luna-Fineman S, Sopfe J, Loeb DM, Hayashi M. Circulating Plasma Tumor DNA Is Superior to Plasma Tumor RNA Detection in Ewing Sarcoma Patients: ptDNA and ptRNA in Ewing Sarcoma. J Mol Diagn 2021; 23:872-881. [PMID: 33887462 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2021.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The detection of tumor-specific nucleic acids from blood increasingly is being used as a method of liquid biopsy and minimal residual disease detection. However, achieving high sensitivity and high specificity remains a challenge. Here, we perform a direct comparison of two droplet digital PCR (ddPCR)-based detection methods, circulating plasma tumor RNA and circulating plasma tumor DNA (ptDNA), in blood samples from newly diagnosed Ewing sarcoma patients. First, we developed three specific ddPCR-based assays to detect EWS-FLI1 or EWS-ERG fusion transcripts, which naturally showed superior sensitivity to DNA detection on in vitro control samples. Next, we identified the patient-specific EWS-FLI1 or EWS-ERG breakpoint from five patient tumor samples and designed ddPCR-based, patient-specific ptDNA assays for each patient. These patient-specific assays show that although plasma tumor RNA can be detected in select newly diagnosed patients, positive results are low and statistically unreliable compared with ptDNA assays, which reproducibly detect robust positive results across most patients. Furthermore, the unique disease biology of Ewing sarcoma enabled us to show that most cell-free RNA is not tumor-derived, although cell-free-DNA burden is affected strongly by tumor-derived DNA burden. Here, we conclude that, even with optimized highly sensitive and specific assays, tumor DNA detection is superior to RNA detection in Ewing sarcoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avery Bodlak
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Kyle Chang
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Jessica Channel
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Amy L Treece
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Nathan Donaldson
- Department of Orthopedics, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Carrye R Cost
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | | | - Brian Greffe
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | | | - Jenna Sopfe
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - David M Loeb
- Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Masanori Hayashi
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado.
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8
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Vitale SR, Helmijr JA, Gerritsen M, Coban H, van Dessel LF, Beije N, van der Vlugt-Daane M, Vigneri P, Sieuwerts AM, Dits N, van Royen ME, Jenster G, Sleijfer S, Lolkema M, Martens JWM, Jansen MPHM. Detection of tumor-derived extracellular vesicles in plasma from patients with solid cancer. BMC Cancer 2021; 21:315. [PMID: 33761899 PMCID: PMC7992353 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-021-08007-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are actively secreted by cells into body fluids and contain nucleic acids of the cells they originate from. The goal of this study was to detect circulating tumor-derived EVs (ctEVs) by mutant mRNA transcripts (EV-RNA) in plasma of patients with solid cancers and compare the occurrence of ctEVs with circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in cell-free DNA (cfDNA). Methods For this purpose, blood from 20 patients and 15 healthy blood donors (HBDs) was collected in different preservation tubes (EDTA, BCT, CellSave) and processed into plasma within 24 h from venipuncture. EVs were isolated with the ExoEasy protocol from this plasma and from conditioned medium of 6 cancer cell lines and characterized according to MISEV2018-guidelines. RNA from EVs was isolated with the ExoRNeasy protocol and evaluated for transcript expression levels of 96 genes by RT-qPCR and genotyped by digital PCR. Results Our workflow applied on cell lines revealed a high concordance between cellular mRNA and EV-RNA in expression levels as well as variant allele frequencies for PIK3CA, KRAS and BRAF. Plasma CD9-positive EV and GAPDH EV-RNA levels were significantly different between the preservation tubes. The workflow detected only ctEVs with mutant transcripts in plasma of patients with high amounts (> 20%) of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). Expression profiling showed that the EVs from patients resemble healthy donors more than tumor cell lines supporting that most EVs are derived from healthy tissue. Conclusions We provide a workflow for ctEV detection by spin column-based generic isolation of EVs and PCR-based measurement of gene expression and mutant transcripts in EV-RNA derived from cancer patients’ blood plasma. This workflow, however, detected tumor-specific mutations in blood less often in EV-RNA than in cfDNA. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-021-08007-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia R Vitale
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, Room Be400, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine - Center for Experimental Oncology and Hematology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Jean A Helmijr
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, Room Be400, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marjolein Gerritsen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, Room Be400, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hicret Coban
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, Room Be400, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lisanne F van Dessel
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, Room Be400, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nick Beije
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, Room Be400, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michelle van der Vlugt-Daane
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, Room Be400, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Paolo Vigneri
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine - Center for Experimental Oncology and Hematology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Anieta M Sieuwerts
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, Room Be400, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Natasja Dits
- Department of Urology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Martin E van Royen
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Guido Jenster
- Department of Urology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Stefan Sleijfer
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, Room Be400, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Cancer Genomics Netherlands, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Martijn Lolkema
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, Room Be400, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - John W M Martens
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, Room Be400, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Cancer Genomics Netherlands, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maurice P H M Jansen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, Room Be400, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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9
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Martins I, Ribeiro IP, Jorge J, Gonçalves AC, Sarmento-Ribeiro AB, Melo JB, Carreira IM. Liquid Biopsies: Applications for Cancer Diagnosis and Monitoring. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:349. [PMID: 33673461 PMCID: PMC7997281 DOI: 10.3390/genes12030349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The minimally-or non-invasive detection of circulating tumor-derived components in biofluids, such as blood, liquid biopsy is a revolutionary approach with significant potential for the management of cancer. Genomic and transcriptomic alterations can be accurately detected through liquid biopsies, which provide a more comprehensive characterization of the heterogeneous tumor profile than tissue biopsies alone. Liquid biopsies could assist diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment selection, and hold great potential to complement current surveilling strategies to monitor disease evolution and treatment response in real-time. In particular, these are able to detect minimal residual disease, to predict progression, and to identify mechanisms of resistance, allowing to re-orient treatment strategies in a timelier manner. In this review we gathered current knowledge regarding the role and potential of liquid biopsies for the diagnosis and follow-up of cancer patients. The presented findings emphasize the strengths of liquid biopsies, revealing their chance of improving the diagnosis and monitoring of several tumor types in the near future. However, despite growing evidence supporting their value as a management tool in oncology, some limitations still need to be overcome for their implementation in the routine clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Martins
- Cytogenetics and Genomics Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra, Institute of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal; (I.M.); (I.P.R.); (J.B.M.)
| | - Ilda Patrícia Ribeiro
- Cytogenetics and Genomics Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra, Institute of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal; (I.M.); (I.P.R.); (J.B.M.)
- Center of Investigation on Environment Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO), Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal; (J.J.); (A.C.G.); (A.B.S.-R.)
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Joana Jorge
- Center of Investigation on Environment Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO), Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal; (J.J.); (A.C.G.); (A.B.S.-R.)
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal
- Laboratory of Oncobiology and Haematology and University Clinic of Haematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Cristina Gonçalves
- Center of Investigation on Environment Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO), Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal; (J.J.); (A.C.G.); (A.B.S.-R.)
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal
- Laboratory of Oncobiology and Haematology and University Clinic of Haematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Bela Sarmento-Ribeiro
- Center of Investigation on Environment Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO), Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal; (J.J.); (A.C.G.); (A.B.S.-R.)
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal
- Laboratory of Oncobiology and Haematology and University Clinic of Haematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Haematology Department, Coimbra University Hospital Centre (CHUC), 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Joana Barbosa Melo
- Cytogenetics and Genomics Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra, Institute of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal; (I.M.); (I.P.R.); (J.B.M.)
- Center of Investigation on Environment Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO), Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal; (J.J.); (A.C.G.); (A.B.S.-R.)
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Isabel Marques Carreira
- Cytogenetics and Genomics Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra, Institute of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal; (I.M.); (I.P.R.); (J.B.M.)
- Center of Investigation on Environment Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO), Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal; (J.J.); (A.C.G.); (A.B.S.-R.)
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal
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10
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Meier S, Henkens M, Heymans S, Robinson EL. Unlocking the Value of White Blood Cells for Heart Failure Diagnosis. J Cardiovasc Transl Res 2021; 14:53-62. [PMID: 32367341 PMCID: PMC7892730 DOI: 10.1007/s12265-020-10007-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the single greatest cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Inciting 85% of CVD fatalities is heart failure, often resulting in or from a myocardial infarction. Early detection along with pharmacological treatment and lifestyle adaptation can result in better prognosis. Biomarkers are molecular or physiological measures that indicate disease presence, status, and severity. However, not all forms of heart failure are created equal. Current mainstay biomarkers for heart failure, including NT-pro-BNP and ejection fraction, lack sensitivity for many patients. Circulating white blood cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are emerging as surrogate biopsies, reflecting molecular changes in the heart. We discuss the advantages of PBMCs over other sources, as well as limitations and considerations. We urge medical center biobanks to collect, isolate and store circulating white blood cells as a rich source of biomarkers to catalyze the discovery of novel diagnostic tools for heart failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Meier
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Maastricht University, 6211 KR, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, 6229 ER, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Michiel Henkens
- Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, 6229 ER, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Cardiology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, 6229 HX, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Stephane Heymans
- Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, 6229 ER, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Cardiology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, 6229 HX, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Centre for Molecular and Vascular Biology (CMVB), Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, B3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Emma Louise Robinson
- Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, 6229 ER, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
- Centre for Molecular and Vascular Biology (CMVB), Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, B3000, Leuven, Belgium.
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11
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Pös Z, Pös O, Styk J, Mocova A, Strieskova L, Budis J, Kadasi L, Radvanszky J, Szemes T. Technical and Methodological Aspects of Cell-Free Nucleic Acids Analyzes. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21228634. [PMID: 33207777 PMCID: PMC7697251 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Analyzes of cell-free nucleic acids (cfNAs) have shown huge potential in many biomedical applications, gradually entering several fields of research and everyday clinical care. Many biological properties of cfNAs can be informative to gain deeper insights into the function of the organism, such as their different types (DNA, RNAs) and subtypes (gDNA, mtDNA, bacterial DNA, miRNAs, etc.), forms (naked or vesicle bound NAs), fragmentation profiles, sequence composition, epigenetic modifications, and many others. On the other hand, the workflows of their analyzes comprise many important steps, from sample collection, storage and transportation, through extraction and laboratory analysis, up to bioinformatic analyzes and statistical evaluations, where each of these steps has the potential to affect the outcome and informational value of the performed analyzes. There are, however, no universal or standard protocols on how to exactly proceed when analyzing different cfNAs for different applications, at least according to our best knowledge. We decided therefore to prepare an overview of the available literature and products commercialized for cfNAs processing, in an attempt to summarize the benefits and limitations of the currently available approaches, devices, consumables, and protocols, together with various factors influencing the workflow, its processes, and outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzana Pös
- Institute of Clinical and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 845 05 Bratislava, Slovakia; (Z.P.); (A.M.); (L.K.)
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia;
- Geneton Ltd., 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia; (L.S.); (J.B.)
| | - Ondrej Pös
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia;
- Geneton Ltd., 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia; (L.S.); (J.B.)
- Comenius University Science Park, Comenius University, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia;
| | - Jakub Styk
- Comenius University Science Park, Comenius University, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia;
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Biology, Genetics and Clinical Genetics, 811 08 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Angelika Mocova
- Institute of Clinical and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 845 05 Bratislava, Slovakia; (Z.P.); (A.M.); (L.K.)
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia;
| | | | - Jaroslav Budis
- Geneton Ltd., 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia; (L.S.); (J.B.)
- Comenius University Science Park, Comenius University, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia;
- Slovak Center of Scientific and Technical Information, 811 04 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ludevit Kadasi
- Institute of Clinical and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 845 05 Bratislava, Slovakia; (Z.P.); (A.M.); (L.K.)
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia;
| | - Jan Radvanszky
- Institute of Clinical and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 845 05 Bratislava, Slovakia; (Z.P.); (A.M.); (L.K.)
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia;
- Comenius University Science Park, Comenius University, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia;
- Correspondence: (J.R.); (T.S.); Tel.: +421-2-60296637 (J.R.); +421-2-9026-8807 (T.S.)
| | - Tomas Szemes
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia;
- Geneton Ltd., 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia; (L.S.); (J.B.)
- Comenius University Science Park, Comenius University, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia;
- Correspondence: (J.R.); (T.S.); Tel.: +421-2-60296637 (J.R.); +421-2-9026-8807 (T.S.)
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12
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Extracellular RNA: Emerging roles in cancer cell communication and biomarkers. Cancer Lett 2020; 495:33-40. [PMID: 32916182 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular RNAs (exRNAs) are a type of RNA molecules that present in various biological fluids. exRNAs are heterogenous populations including small (e.g., miRNA) and long non-coding RNAs and coding RNAs (e.g., mRNA). They can exist in a free form or associate with carriers range from lipo- and ribo-proteins to extracellular vesicles such as exosomes in the extracellular fluids. exRNAs participate in cell-to-cell communication to regulate a broad array of physiological and pathological processes. exRNAs have been widely studied as a biomarker for cancer and other diseases. In this review, we will discuss the sorts of exRNAs with potential carriers as well as their roles in cancer.
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13
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Heatlie J, Chang V, Fitzgerald S, Nursalim Y, Parker K, Lawrence B, Print CG, Blenkiron C. Specialized Cell-Free DNA Blood Collection Tubes Can Be Repurposed for Extracellular Vesicle Isolation: A Pilot Study. Biopreserv Biobank 2020; 18:462-470. [PMID: 32856938 DOI: 10.1089/bio.2020.0060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Liquid biopsies offer a minimally invasive approach to patient disease diagnosis and monitoring. However, these are highly affected by preprocessing variables with many protocols designed for downstream analysis of a single molecular biomarker. Here we investigate whether specialized blood tubes could be repurposed for the analysis of an increasingly valuable biomarker, extracellular vesicles (EVs). Methods: Blood was collected from three donors into K3-EDTA, Roche, or Streck cell-free DNA (cfDNA) collection tubes and processed using sequential centrifugation either immediately or after storage for 3 days. MicroEV were collected from platelet-poor plasma by 10,000 g centrifugation and NanoEVs isolated using size exclusion chromatography. Particle size and counts were assessed by Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis, protein quantitation by bicinchoninic acid assay (BCA) assay, and dot blotting for blood cell surface proteins. Results: MicroEVs and NanoEVs could be isolated from plasma collected using all three tube types. Major variations were seen with delayed time to processing. Both MicroEV particle number and protein content increased with the processing delay. The NanoEV number did not change with the time-delay but their protein quantity increased. EV-associated proteins predominantly arose from platelets (CD61) and erythrocytes (CD235a). However, leukocyte marker CD45 was only increased in NanoEVs from ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) tubes, suggestive of stabilization of nucleated cells by the specialized blood tubes. Epithelial cell surface marker EpCAM, often used as a marker of cancer, remained the same across conditions in both MicroEV and NanoEV preparations indicating that these EVs were stable with time. Conclusions: Specialized cfDNA collection tubes can be repurposed for MicroEV and NanoEV analysis; however, simple counting or using protein quantity as a surrogate of EV number may be confounded by preanalytical processing. The EVs would be suitable for disease selective EV subtype analysis if the molecular target of interest is not present in blood cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Heatlie
- Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.,Freemasons Foundation Centre for Men's Health, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Vanessa Chang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Sandra Fitzgerald
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Yohanes Nursalim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Kate Parker
- Discipline of Oncology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ben Lawrence
- Discipline of Oncology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.,Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Cristin G Print
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.,Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Cherie Blenkiron
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.,Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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14
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Salvianti F, Gelmini S, Costanza F, Mancini I, Sonnati G, Simi L, Pazzagli M, Pinzani P. The pre-analytical phase of the liquid biopsy. N Biotechnol 2019; 55:19-29. [PMID: 31580920 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbt.2019.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The term 'liquid biopsy', introduced in 2013 in reference to the analysis of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) in cancer patients, was extended to cell-free nucleic acids (cfNAs) circulating in blood and other body fluids. CTCs and cfNAs are now considered diagnostic and prognostic markers, used as surrogate materials for the molecular characterisation of solid tumours, in particular for research on tumour-specific or actionable somatic mutations. Molecular characterisation of cfNAs and CTCs (especially at the single cell level) is technically challenging, requiring highly sensitive and specific methods and/or multi-step processes. The analysis of the liquid biopsy relies on a plethora of methods whose standardisation cannot be accomplished without disclosing criticisms related to the pre-analytical phase. Thus, pre-analytical factors potentially influencing downstream cellular and molecular analyses must be considered in order to translate the liquid biopsy approach into clinical practice. The present review summarises the most recent reports in this field, discussing the main pre-analytical aspects related to CTCs, cfNAs and exosomes in blood samples for liquid biopsy analysis. A short discussion on non-blood liquid biopsy samples is also included.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Salvianti
- Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini,6, 50139 Florence, Italy
| | - Stefania Gelmini
- Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini,6, 50139 Florence, Italy.
| | - Filomena Costanza
- Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini,6, 50139 Florence, Italy
| | - Irene Mancini
- Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini,6, 50139 Florence, Italy
| | - Gemma Sonnati
- Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini,6, 50139 Florence, Italy
| | - Lisa Simi
- Molecular and Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory, Careggi University Hospital, Viale Pieraccini,6, 50139 Florence, Italy
| | - Mario Pazzagli
- Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini,6, 50139 Florence, Italy
| | - Pamela Pinzani
- Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini,6, 50139 Florence, Italy
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15
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Pardini B, Sabo AA, Birolo G, Calin GA. Noncoding RNAs in Extracellular Fluids as Cancer Biomarkers: The New Frontier of Liquid Biopsies. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:E1170. [PMID: 31416190 PMCID: PMC6721601 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11081170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Revised: 08/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The last two decades of cancer research have been devoted in two directions: (1) understanding the mechanism of carcinogenesis for an effective treatment, and (2) improving cancer prevention and screening for early detection of the disease. This last aspect has been developed, especially for certain types of cancers, thanks also to the introduction of new concepts such as liquid biopsies and precision medicine. In this context, there is a growing interest in the application of alternative and noninvasive methodologies to search for cancer biomarkers. The new frontiers of the research lead to a search for RNA molecules circulating in body fluids. Searching for biomarkers in extracellular body fluids represents a better option for patients because they are easier to access, less painful, and potentially more economical. Moreover, the possibility for these types of samples to be taken repeatedly, allows a better monitoring of the disease progression or treatment efficacy for a better intervention and dynamic treatment of the patient, which is the fundamental basis of personalized medicine. RNA molecules, freely circulating in body fluids or packed in microvesicles, have all the characteristics of the ideal biomarkers owing to their high stability under storage and handling conditions and being able to be sampled several times for monitoring. Moreover, as demonstrated for many cancers, their plasma/serum levels mirror those in the primary tumor. There are a large variety of RNA species noncoding for proteins that could be used as cancer biomarkers in liquid biopsies. Among them, the most studied are microRNAs, but recently the attention of the researcher has been also directed towards Piwi-interacting RNAs, circular RNAs, and other small noncoding RNAs. Another class of RNA species, the long noncoding RNAs, is larger than microRNAs and represents a very versatile and promising group of molecules which, apart from their use as biomarkers, have also a possible therapeutic role. In this review, we will give an overview of the most common noncoding RNA species detectable in extracellular fluids and will provide an update concerning the situation of the research on these molecules as cancer biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Pardini
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy.
- Unit of Molecular Epidemiology and Exposome, Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM), 10126 Turin, Italy.
| | - Alexandru Anton Sabo
- Department of Pediatrics, Marie Curie Emergency Clinical Hospital for Children, 077120 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Giovanni Birolo
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy
- Unit of Molecular Epidemiology and Exposome, Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM), 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - George Adrian Calin
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
- Center for RNA Interference and Non-Coding RNAs, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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16
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Circulating Cell-Free DNA and RNA Analysis as Liquid Biopsy: Optimal Centrifugation Protocol. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11040458. [PMID: 30935089 PMCID: PMC6521186 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11040458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The combined analysis of circulating cell-free (tumor) DNA (cfDNA/ctDNA) and circulating cell-free (tumor) RNA (cfRNA/ctRNA) shows great promise in determining the molecular profile of cancer patients. Optimization of the workflow is necessary to achieve consistent and reproducible results. In this study, we compared five centrifugation protocols for the optimal yield of both cfDNA/ctDNA and cfRNA/ctRNA. These protocols varied in centrifugation speed, ambient temperature, time, and number of centrifugation steps. Samples from 33 participants were collected in either BD Vacutainer K₂EDTA (EDTA) tubes or cell-free DNA BCT® (Streck) tubes. cfDNA concentration and fragment size, and cfRNA concentration were quantitated in all samples by digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) and quantitative PCR (qPCR). The KRAS-mutated ctDNA and ctRNA fraction was determined via ddPCR. In EDTA tubes, the protocol generating both plasma and platelets was found to produce high quality cfDNA and cfRNA concentrations. Two-step, high-speed centrifugation protocols were associated with high cfDNA but low cfRNA concentrations. High cfRNA concentrations were generated by a one-step, low-speed protocol. However, this coincided with a high amount of genomic DNA (gDNA) contamination. In Streck tubes, two-step, high-speed centrifugation protocols also generated good quality, high cfDNA concentration. However, these tubes are not compatible with cfRNA analysis.
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17
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Mauk MG, Song J, Liu C, Bau HH. Simple Approaches to Minimally-Instrumented, Microfluidic-Based Point-of-Care Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests. BIOSENSORS 2018; 8:E17. [PMID: 29495424 PMCID: PMC5872065 DOI: 10.3390/bios8010017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Revised: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Designs and applications of microfluidics-based devices for molecular diagnostics (Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests, NAATs) in infectious disease testing are reviewed, with emphasis on minimally instrumented, point-of-care (POC) tests for resource-limited settings. Microfluidic cartridges ('chips') that combine solid-phase nucleic acid extraction; isothermal enzymatic nucleic acid amplification; pre-stored, paraffin-encapsulated lyophilized reagents; and real-time or endpoint optical detection are described. These chips can be used with a companion module for separating plasma from blood through a combined sedimentation-filtration effect. Three reporter types: Fluorescence, colorimetric dyes, and bioluminescence; and a new paradigm for end-point detection based on a diffusion-reaction column are compared. Multiplexing (parallel amplification and detection of multiple targets) is demonstrated. Low-cost detection and added functionality (data analysis, control, communication) can be realized using a cellphone platform with the chip. Some related and similar-purposed approaches by others are surveyed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Mauk
- Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM), School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Towne Building, 220 33rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Jinzhao Song
- Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM), School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Towne Building, 220 33rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Changchun Liu
- Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM), School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Towne Building, 220 33rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Haim H Bau
- Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM), School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Towne Building, 220 33rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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18
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Rodríguez-Lee M, Kolatkar A, McCormick M, Dago AD, Kendall J, Carlsson NA, Bethel K, Greenspan EJ, Hwang SE, Waitman KR, Nieva JJ, Hicks J, Kuhn P. Effect of Blood Collection Tube Type and Time to Processing on the Enumeration and High-Content Characterization of Circulating Tumor Cells Using the High-Definition Single-Cell Assay. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2018; 142:198-207. [PMID: 29144792 PMCID: PMC7679174 DOI: 10.5858/arpa.2016-0483-oa] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT - As circulating tumor cell (CTC) assays gain clinical relevance, it is essential to address preanalytic variability and to develop standard operating procedures for sample handling in order to successfully implement genomically informed, precision health care. OBJECTIVE - To evaluate the effects of blood collection tube (BCT) type and time-to-assay (TTA) on the enumeration and high-content characterization of CTCs by using the high-definition single-cell assay (HD-SCA). DESIGN - Blood samples of patients with early- and advanced-stage breast cancer were collected into cell-free DNA (CfDNA), EDTA, acid-citrate-dextrose solution, and heparin BCTs. Time-to-assay was evaluated at 24 and 72 hours, representing the fastest possible and more routine domestic shipping intervals, respectively. RESULTS - We detected the highest CTC levels and the lowest levels of negative events in CfDNA BCT at 24 hours. At 72 hours in this BCT, all CTC subpopulations were decreased with the larger effect observed in high-definition CTCs and cytokeratin-positive cells smaller than white blood cells. Overall cell retention was also optimal in CfDNA BCT at 24 hours. Whole-genome copy number variation profiles were generated from single cells isolated from all BCT types and TTAs. Cells from CfDNA BCT at 24-hour TTA exhibited the least noise. CONCLUSIONS - Circulating tumor cells can be identified and characterized under a variety of collection, handling, and processing conditions, but the highest quality can be achieved with optimized conditions. We quantified performance differences of the HD-SCA for specific preanalytic variables that may be used as a guide to develop best practices for implementation into patient care and/or research biorepository processes.
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19
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Cell-free DNA: the role in pathophysiology and as a biomarker in kidney diseases. Expert Rev Mol Med 2018; 20:e1. [PMID: 29343314 DOI: 10.1017/erm.2017.12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is present in various body fluids and originates mostly from blood cells. In specific conditions, circulating cfDNA might be derived from tumours, donor organs after transplantation or from the foetus during pregnancy. The analysis of cfDNA is mainly used for genetic analyses of the source tissue -tumour, foetus or for the early detection of graft rejection. It might serve also as a nonspecific biomarker of tissue damage in critical care medicine. In kidney diseases, cfDNA increases during haemodialysis and indicates cell damage. In patients with renal cell carcinoma, cfDNA in plasma and its integrity is studied for monitoring of tumour growth, the effects of chemotherapy and for prognosis. Urinary cfDNA is highly fragmented, but the technical hurdles can now be overcome and urinary cfDNA is being evaluated as a potential biomarker of renal injury and urinary tract tumours. Beyond its diagnostic application, cfDNA might also be involved in the pathogenesis of diseases affecting the kidneys as shown for systemic lupus, sepsis and some pregnancy-related pathologies. Recent data suggest that increased cfDNA is associated with acute kidney injury. In this review, we discuss the biological characteristics, sources of cfDNA, its potential use as a biomarker as well as its role in the pathogenesis of renal and urinary diseases.
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20
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Cieślik M, Chinnaiyan AM. Cancer transcriptome profiling at the juncture of clinical translation. Nat Rev Genet 2017; 19:93-109. [PMID: 29279605 DOI: 10.1038/nrg.2017.96] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Methodological breakthroughs over the past four decades have repeatedly revolutionized transcriptome profiling. Using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), it has now become possible to sequence and quantify the transcriptional outputs of individual cells or thousands of samples. These transcriptomes provide a link between cellular phenotypes and their molecular underpinnings, such as mutations. In the context of cancer, this link represents an opportunity to dissect the complexity and heterogeneity of tumours and to discover new biomarkers or therapeutic strategies. Here, we review the rationale, methodology and translational impact of transcriptome profiling in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Cieślik
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan.,Department of Pathology, University of Michigan
| | - Arul M Chinnaiyan
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan.,Department of Pathology, University of Michigan.,Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Michigan.,Department of Urology, University of Michigan.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
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21
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Luk AWS, Ma Y, Ding PN, Young FP, Chua W, Balakrishnar B, Dransfield DT, Souza PD, Becker TM. CTC-mRNA (AR-V7) Analysis from Blood Samples-Impact of Blood Collection Tube and Storage Time. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18051047. [PMID: 28498319 PMCID: PMC5454959 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18051047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Revised: 05/02/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) are an emerging resource for monitoring cancer biomarkers. New technologies for CTC isolation and biomarker detection are increasingly sensitive, however, the ideal blood storage conditions to preserve CTC-specific mRNA biomarkers remains undetermined. Here we tested the preservation of tumour cells and CTC-mRNA over time in common anticoagulant ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) and acid citrate dextrose solution B (Citrate) blood tubes compared to preservative-containing blood tubes. Blood samples spiked with prostate cancer cells were processed after 0, 24, 30, and 48 h storage at room temperature. The tumour cell isolation efficiency and the mRNA levels of the prostate cancer biomarkers androgen receptor variant 7 (AR-V7) and total AR, as well as epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) were measured. Spiked cells were recovered across all storage tube types and times. Surprisingly, tumour mRNA biomarkers were readily detectable after 48 h storage in EDTA and Citrate tubes, but not in preservative-containing tubes. Notably, AR-V7 expression was detected in prostate cancer patient blood samples after 48 h storage in EDTA tubes at room temperature. This important finding presents opportunities for measuring AR-V7 expression from clinical trial patient samples processed within 48 h-a much more feasible timeframe compared to previous recommendations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison W S Luk
- Centre for Circulating Tumour Cell Diagnostics and Research, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, 1 Campbell St., Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.
| | - Yafeng Ma
- Centre for Circulating Tumour Cell Diagnostics and Research, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, 1 Campbell St., Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.
| | - Pei N Ding
- Centre for Circulating Tumour Cell Diagnostics and Research, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, 1 Campbell St., Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.
- Department of Medical Oncology, Liverpool Hospital, Elizabeth St & Goulburn St, Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.
- Western Sydney University Clinical School, Elizabeth St, Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.
| | - Francis P Young
- Centre for Circulating Tumour Cell Diagnostics and Research, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, 1 Campbell St., Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.
- South Western Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Goulburn St., Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.
| | - Wei Chua
- Department of Medical Oncology, Liverpool Hospital, Elizabeth St & Goulburn St, Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.
| | - Bavanthi Balakrishnar
- Department of Medical Oncology, Liverpool Hospital, Elizabeth St & Goulburn St, Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.
| | - Daniel T Dransfield
- Tokai Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 255 State Street, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 0210, USA.
| | - Paul de Souza
- Centre for Circulating Tumour Cell Diagnostics and Research, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, 1 Campbell St., Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.
- Department of Medical Oncology, Liverpool Hospital, Elizabeth St & Goulburn St, Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.
- Western Sydney University Clinical School, Elizabeth St, Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.
- South Western Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Goulburn St., Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.
| | - Therese M Becker
- Centre for Circulating Tumour Cell Diagnostics and Research, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, 1 Campbell St., Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.
- Western Sydney University Clinical School, Elizabeth St, Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.
- South Western Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Goulburn St., Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.
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22
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Salvianti F, Pazzagli M, Pinzani P. Single circulating tumor cell sequencing as an advanced tool in cancer management. Expert Rev Mol Diagn 2015; 16:51-63. [PMID: 26560087 DOI: 10.1586/14737159.2016.1116942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) shed by the primary tumor and metastases are considered a real-time 'liquid biopsy', reflecting the disease complexity that evolves during progression, showing in its late stages different genetic, epigenetic and expression features. Consequently, heterogeneity and development of characteristic features upon disease progression are the two main goals that emerging technologies should account for in view of a clinical application. Single-cell analysis, now possible due to technological advances, may help elucidate tumor heterogeneity at the CTC level. This review focuses on the necessary steps for the analysis of CTCs at the single-cell level. A concise overview is given on the alternative methods referring in particular to studies on the mutational status of single CTCs from cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Salvianti
- a Department of Clinical, Experimental and Biomedical Sciences , University of Florence , Firenze , Italy
| | - Mario Pazzagli
- a Department of Clinical, Experimental and Biomedical Sciences , University of Florence , Firenze , Italy
| | - Pamela Pinzani
- a Department of Clinical, Experimental and Biomedical Sciences , University of Florence , Firenze , Italy
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23
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Stabilization of cellular RNA in blood during storage at room temperature: a comparison of cell-free RNA BCT(®) with K3EDTA tubes. Mol Diagn Ther 2015; 18:647-53. [PMID: 25178583 PMCID: PMC4245490 DOI: 10.1007/s40291-014-0118-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background Messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels in blood cells are important in disease diagnosis, prognosis and biomarker discovery research. Accurate measurements of intracellular mRNA levels in blood cells depend upon several pre-analytical factors, including delays in RNA extraction from blood after phlebotomy. Dramatic changes in mRNA expression levels caused by delays in blood sample processing may render such samples unsuitable for gene expression analysis. Objectives This study was conducted to evaluate a blood collection tube, cell-free RNA-BCT® (RNA-BCT), for its ability to stabilize mRNA expression level in blood cells post-phlebotomy using indicator mRNAs in reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) assays. Methods Blood samples from presumed healthy donors were drawn into both RNA-BCT and K3EDTA tubes and maintained at room temperature (18–22 °C). The samples were processed to obtain white blood cells (WBCs) at days 0, 1, 2 and 3. Total cellular RNA was extracted from WBCs and mRNA concentrations were quantified by RT-qPCR for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), c-fos, and p53 transcripts. Results While blood cells isolated from K3EDTA tubes showed significant changes in cellular mRNA concentrations for GAPDH, c-fos, and p53, these mRNAs concentrations were stable in blood drawn into RNA-BCT. Conclusion The reagent in the RNA-BCT device stabilizes cellular mRNA concentrations for GAPDH, c-fos and p53 for at least three days at room temperature.
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24
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Qin J, Williams TL, Fernando MR. A novel blood collection device stabilizes cell-free RNA in blood during sample shipping and storage. BMC Res Notes 2013; 6:380. [PMID: 24066835 PMCID: PMC3848903 DOI: 10.1186/1756-0500-6-380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2013] [Accepted: 09/24/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cell-free RNA (cfRNA) naturally occurs in blood and has clinical significance. Accurate quantification of these extracellular RNAs in whole blood is hindered by the simultaneous unintended release of cellular RNA and degradation of cfRNA after blood draw. An appropriate blood collection device is needed to stabilize cfRNA during blood processing, transportation and storage, which will ensure cfRNA test reliability. In this study we compared a novel blood collection device against traditional K3EDTA tubes for its ability to stabilize cfRNA in blood when subjected to conditions that can occur during sample storage and shipping. FINDINGS Shipping blood samples drawn into K3EDTA tubes showed a significant increase in mRNA copy numbers for β-actin, c-fos, and 18S rRNA in plasma. In contrast, shipping blood drawn into Cell-Free RNA BCT™s (BCTs) showed only a slight change in mRNA copy numbers for circulating β-actin, c-fos, and 18S rRNA. Moreover, blood stored in K3EDTA tubes at 6°C, 22°C and 30°C for 3 days showed a significant increase in mRNA copy numbers for c-fos and β-actin, whereas samples stored in BCTs only showed a slight increase. CONCLUSION Our results show that BCTs minimize increases in background RNA levels caused by temperature fluctuations or agitation that can occur during blood sample storage and shipping. This novel blood collection tube could provide a method for obtaining high quality stabilized cfRNA samples for rare RNA target detection and determining accurate cfRNA concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianbing Qin
- Research & Development Division, Streck, Inc., 7002 S 109 Street, La Vista, NE 68128, USA
| | - Thomas L Williams
- Methodist Hospital Laboratory, 8303 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE 68114, USA
| | - M Rohan Fernando
- Research & Development Division, Streck, Inc., 7002 S 109 Street, La Vista, NE 68128, USA
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