Monitoring HOTTIP levels on extracellular vesicles for predicting recurrence in surgical non-small cell lung cancer patients

LncRNA HOTTIP as a diagnostic biomarker for acute respiratory distress syndrome in patients with sepsis and to predict the short-term clinical outcome: a case-control study

BACKGROUND

The present research aims to investigate the clinical diagnostic value of LncRNA HOXA distal transcript antisense RNA (HOTTIP) in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) of sepsis and its predictive significance for mortality.

METHODS

One hundred eighteenth patients with sepsis and 96 healthy individuals were enrolled. RT-qPCR to examine HOTTIP levels. The incidence of ARDS and death was recorded. The diagnostic significance of HOTTIP in sepsis ARDS was examined using ROC and logistic regression analysis. The correlation between HOTTIP and disease severity was evaluated using Pearson's coefficients. Kaplan-Meier analysis and COX regression were employed to examine the predictive significance of mortality. Validation of HOTTIP target miRNA by dual-luciferase assay.

RESULTS

HOTTIP was persistently up-regulated in patients with ARDS sepsis than in patients without ARDS patients (P < 0.05). HOTTIP was a risk factor for the development of ARDS, which could be diagnosed in ARDS patients from non-ARDS patients (AUC = 0.847). Both the SOFA score (r = 0.6793) and the APACHE II score (r = 0.6384) were positively correlated with the HOTTIP levels. Furthermore, serum HOTTIP was an independent predictor of short-term mortality (HR = 4.813. 95%CI: 1.471-15.750, P = 0.009) and noticeably predicted the occurrence of short-term death (log rank = 0.020). miR-574-5p, a target miRNA for HOTTIP, was reduced in patients with sepsis ARDS and negatively correlated with HOTTIP.

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of HOTTIP serves as a diagnostic biomarker for the occurrence of ARDS, exhibits correlation with disease severity, and provides predictive value of short-term mortality in sepsis patients. HOTTIP may be involved in ARDS progression by targeting miR-574-5p.

Expanding the horizon of EV-RNAs: LncRNAs in EVs as biomarkers for disease pathways

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound nanoparticles with different types of cargo released by cells and postulated to mediate functions such as intercellular communications. Recent studies have shown that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) or their fragments are present as cargo within EVs. LncRNAs are a heterogeneous group of RNA species with a length exceeding 200 nucleotides with diverse functions in cells based on their localization. While lncRNAs are known for their important functions in cellular regulation, their presence and role in EVs have only recently been explored. While certain studies have observed EV-lncRNAs to be tissue-and disease-specific, it remains to be determined whether or not this is a global observation. Nonetheless, these molecules have demonstrated promising potential to serve as new diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. In this review, we critically evaluate the role of EV-derived lncRNAs in several prevalent diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases, with a specific focus on their role as biomarkers.

Liquid Biopsy in Lung Cancer: Biomarkers for the Management of Recurrence and Metastasis

Liquid biopsies have emerged as a promising tool for the detection of metastases as well as local and regional recurrence in lung cancer. Liquid biopsy tests involve analyzing a patient's blood, urine, or other body fluids for the detection of biomarkers, including circulating tumor cells or tumor-derived DNA/RNA that have been shed into the bloodstream. Studies have shown that liquid biopsies can detect lung cancer metastases with high accuracy and sensitivity, even before they are visible on imaging scans. Such tests are valuable for early intervention and personalized treatment, aiming to improve patient outcomes. Liquid biopsies are also minimally invasive compared to traditional tissue biopsies, which require the removal of a sample of the tumor for further analysis. This makes liquid biopsies a more convenient and less risky option for patients, particularly those who are not good candidates for invasive procedures due to other medical conditions. While liquid biopsies for lung cancer metastases and relapse are still being developed and validated, they hold great promise for improving the detection and treatment of this deadly disease. Herein, we summarize available and novel approaches to liquid biopsy tests for lung cancer metastases and recurrence detection and describe their applications in clinical practice.

Urinary exosomal long noncoding RNAs serve as biomarkers for early detection of non-small cell lung cancer

Objective: Increasing the efficiency of early diagnosis using noninvasive biomarkers is crucial for enhancing the survival rate of lung cancer patients. We explore the differential expression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)-related long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in urinary exosomes in NSCLC patients and normal controls to diagnose lung cancer.

Methods: A differential expression analysis between NSCLC patients and healthy controls was performed using microarrays. Gene ontology (GO) term and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were used to predict potential functions of lncRNAs in NSCLC. quantitative real-time PCR (QT-PCR) was used to verify microarray results.

Results: A total of 640 lncRNAs (70 up- and 570 down-regulated) were differentially expressed in NSCLC patients in comparison to healthy controls. Six lncRNAs were detected by QT-PCR. GO term and KEGG pathway analyses showed that differential lncRNAs were enriched in cellular component organization or biogenesis, as well as other biological processes and signaling pathways, such as the PI3K-AKT, FOXO, p53, and fatty acid biosynthesis.

Conclusions: The differential lncRNAs in urinary exosomes are potential diagnostic biomarkers of NSCLC. The lncRNAs enriched in specific pathways may be associated with tumor cell proliferation, tumor cell apoptosis, and the cell cycle involved in the pathogenesis of NSCLC.