Advances in clinical chemistry最新文献

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by the accumulation of hyperphosphorylated Tau in neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid-beta plaques. Tau, a microtubule-associated protein essential for neuronal stability, detaches from microtubules upon hyperphosphorylation, forming aggregates that disrupt neuronal function. Amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques act as upstream triggers, promoting Tau hyperphosphorylation and activating glial cells, particularly microglia and astrocytes. While these glial cells initially serve protective roles, their chronic activation leads to neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and neuronal damage. Calcium dysregulation further exacerbates AD pathology by contributing to Tau hyperphosphorylation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and Aβ generation. This review highlights the intricate interplay between Tau, Aβ, and glial cells in the progression of AD, emphasizing both their protective and detrimental roles. It also explores the therapeutic implications of targeting these pathways, including modulating Tau phosphorylation, enhancing Aβ clearance, regulating glial activation, restoring calcium homeostasis, and preserving mitochondrial function. By addressing these multifaceted processes, this review underscores the potential for novel therapeutic strategies to slow or manage the progression of AD, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

The cancer microbiome is an emerging concept that is referred to as the microorganism communities associated with cancer. There has been controversy in terms of the bona fide functions of the microbiome in carcinogenesis and cancer development, since the microorganisms were first observed within tumor tissues. Recently, there has been growing evidence showing that the microbiome indeed plays a role in cancer initiation, development, diagnosis, and treatment through diverse mechanisms and interactions between host cells and microbes. Rather than contaminants or artifacts, the cancer microbiome has been proven to be alive in the tumor microenvironment and possess significantly differential physiological and morphological properties compared to the corresponding environmental microorganisms. However, due to the low abundance of microbes within cancer tissues (especially the intratumoral microbiota) and lack of efficient analytical tools (e.g., sensitive antibodies, sensors, and probes), there are still a number of challenges and question marks in this fast-growing field. In this chapter, we made a systematic summary of the cancer microbiome, specifically focusing on its discovery and the recent research advances with respect to the studies on its functions and corresponding technology development.

This chapter provides a comprehensive summary of clinical laboratory testing for neurofilament light chain (NfL) in neurologic disease. A primer on the NfL structure and function is presented with its potential use as a biomarker. The most widely utilized methods for NfL in biologic samples are highlighted and examined. Limitations of current knowledge are considered, as are outstanding questions related to dissemination and standardization of testing. Herein we focus on methods available today and those in development for clinical use. In the final section, a broad vision is presented of how NfL may be utilized in the future to improve diagnosis and treatment of neurologic diseases as well as for maintaining health.

Biomimetic sensor technology, inspired by nature's ingenious designs, has garnered significant attention for its potential in revolutionizing various fields, ranging from healthcare to environmental monitoring. Recent advances in biomimetic sensor technology have made it possible to develop unique and extremely sensitive sensors that imitate the capabilities of biological systems. The enhanced detection of different analytes with high specificity and sensitivity is facilitated by these sensors, which draw inspiration from natural organisms and their sensory capacities. New developments in materials science and nanotechnology have further enabled the development of novel biomimetic sensing platforms, such as nanostructured surfaces, membranes, and nanoparticles. This chapter highlights recent advances in biomimetic sensor technology, elucidating the principles, design strategies and applications driving its rapid development. We provide an overview of the most recent advancements in biomimetic sensor technology, which are driving the field forward by exploring the diverse applications of biomimetic sensors across various fields. Challenges and future aspects in biomimetic sensor research are also addressed, such as improving sensor biocompatibility, enhancing sensor stability-reproducibility and scaling up production for commercialization.

Tumor-Associated Carbohydrate Antigens (TACAs) are carbohydrate structures uniquely expressed on the surface of tumor cells while being absent or minimally present in normal tissues. These molecular signatures play crucial roles in tumor progression, contributing to essential processes such as cell adhesion, motility, invasion, immune evasion, angiogenesis, metastasis, and proliferation. TACAs arise due to aberrant glycosylation, a hallmark of cancer cells, leading to their overexpression in various malignancies. Notably, elevated levels of certain TACAs have been associated with poor clinical outcomes in cancer patients. Because of their selective expression, TACAs serve as important biomarkers for cancer detection, prognosis, and disease monitoring. Their presence in the bloodstream of patients with epithelial carcinomas, neuroblastomas, and melanomas has led to the development of assays capable of quantifying these antigens in sera, providing valuable tools for clinical applications. The ability to measure TACAs in biological fluids enables early diagnosis and improved patient management, making them attractive targets for liquid biopsy strategies. Beyond their diagnostic utility, TACAs hold great promise for therapeutic applications, particularly in cancer immunotherapy. Their restricted expression on cancer cells makes them ideal targets for vaccine development, monoclonal antibody therapy, and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell approaches. By exploiting the immune system's ability to recognize and target these antigens, novel treatment strategies are being explored to enhance anti-tumor immunity. Continued research into TACAs may lead to innovative diagnostic and therapeutic advancements, improving cancer patient outcomes and broadening the scope of precision medicine.

White matter (WM), constituting nearly half of the human brain's mass, is pivotal for the rapid transmission of neural signals across different brain regions, significantly influencing cognitive processes like learning, memory, and problem-solving. The integrity of WM is essential for brain function, and its damage, which can occur due to conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS), stroke, and traumatic brain injury, results in severe neurological deficits and cognitive decline. The primary objective of this book chapter is to discuss the clinical significance of fluid biomarkers in assessing WM damage within the central nervous system (CNS). It explores the biological underpinnings and pathological changes in WM due to various neurological conditions and details how alterations can be detected and quantified through fluid biomarkers. By examining biomarkers like Myelin Basic Protein (MBP), Neurofilament light chain (NFL), and others, the chapter highlights their role in enhancing diagnostic precision, monitoring disease progression, and guiding therapeutic interventions, thus providing crucial insights into maintaining WM integrity and preventing cognitive and physical disabilities.

Visceral adipose tissue, a type of abdominal adipose tissue, is highly involved in lipolysis. Because increased visceral adiposity is strongly associated with the metabolic complications related with obesity, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, there is a need for precise, targeted, personalized and site-specific measures clinically. Existing studies showed that ectopic fat accumulation may be characterized differently among different populations due to complex genetic architecture and non-genetic or epigenetic components, ie, Asians have more and Africans have less visceral fat vs Europeans. In this review, we summarize the effects of multiple non-genetic and genetic factors on visceral fat distribution across races. Non-genetic factors include diet, socioeconomic status, sex hormones and psychological factors, etc. We examine genetic factors of racial differences in visceral fat content as well as possible regulatory pathways associated with interracial visceral fat distribution. A comprehensive understanding of both genetic and non-genetic factors that influence the distribution of visceral fat among races, leads us to predict risk of abdominal obesity and metabolic diseases in ethnic groups that enables targeted interventions through accurate diagnosis and treatment as well as reduced risk of obesity-associated complications.

Gaucher disease (GD) is a rare lysosomal disorder characterized by the accumulation of glycosphingolipids in macrophages resulting from glucocerebrosidase (GCase) deficiency. The accumulation of toxic substrates, which causes the hallmark symptoms of GD, is dependent on the extent of enzyme dysfunction. Accordingly, three distinct subtypes have been recognized, with type 1 GD (GD1) as the common and milder form, while types 2 (GD2) and 3 (GD3) are categorized as neuronopathic and severe. Manifestations variably include hepatosplenomegaly, anemia, thrombocytopenia, easy bruising, inflammation, bone pain and other skeletal pathologies, abnormal eye movements and neuropathy. Although the molecular basis of GD is relatively well understood, currently used biomarkers are nonspecific and inadequate for making finer distinctions between subtypes and in evaluating changes in disease status and guiding therapy. Thus, there is continued effort to investigate and identify potential biomarkers to improve GD diagnosis, monitoring and potential identification of novel therapeutic targets. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of emerging biomarkers in GD that can enhance current understanding and improve quality of life through better testing, disease management and treatment.

A hallmark change during carcinogenesis is disruption or dysregulation of cell-cell junctions. It enables a transformed cell to adopt mesenchymal phenotype and acquire higher potential to migrate and invade. This ultimately leads to cancer metastasis. During this process, junctional proteins undergo remarkable changes in terms of their expressional pattern, localization, and activity. De-localized junctional proteins may adopt atypical roles which might act to either suppress tumorigenesis or facilitate cancer development, depending on several factors. In this chapter, the authors attempt to know the expression pattern of junctional proteins in different types of cancer, understand its significance, and gather knowledge about the mechanisms by which they regulate tumorigenesis and cancer development.

A sensor detects changes in its environment and converts them into readable data using three key components: a receptor to sense changes, a transducer to generate a signal, and a detection system to output the signal. Optical sensors are devices that use a receptor and optical transducer to produce signals corresponding to an analyte, and optical biosensors combine a biological sensing element with an optical transducer to detect and quantify specific analytes. They offer easy-to-read, real-time signals, such as color changes or light emission, sometimes even detectable by the naked eye, reducing the need for external devices and providing versatile Point-of-Care (PoC) applicability. Their portability and rapid response time enable remote testing and monitoring, further improving accessibility. They allow sensitive and selective detection of various analytes, making them utile in areas like glucose monitoring, drug testing, and pathogen detection. Many of these sensors provide label-free and non-invasive detection, further enhancing patient comfort and safety. This chapter provides an overview of optical biosensors; it starts with categorizing them by biorecognition elements, transducers, and detection modes. It investigates biosensors that utilize nanomaterials, polymers, and engineered biorecognition elements are discussed, with examples from literature. Technologies such as miniaturization, multiplexing, and wearable designs, which enhance PoC feasibility, are also examined. Lastly, challenges in development and operation are addressed, and future research directions for advancing optical biosensors in PoC diagnostics are discussed.