Biomarkers in medicine最新文献

Sulf-2, a key member of the sulfatase family, regulated tumor progression, invasion, and metastasis through various mechanisms including genetic alterations, epigenetic modifications, transcriptional regulation, and microenvironmental influences. The dysregulation of Sulf-2 has been implicated as a pivotal driver in the development of numerous tumors. The lack of a comprehensive understanding of Sulf-2 enzymatic activities has limited the advancement of research progress, largely due to the intricate modulation of heparan sulfate (HS) biology by this enzyme. In this review, we will comprehensively discuss the structure, function, and regulatory mechanisms of Sulf-2, elucidated the mechanisms of Sulf-2 in different human-type tumors. Furthermore, we would summarize the potential applications and limitations of Sulf-2 as a target in combining therapies for human tumors, providing insights that could be instrumental in advancing targeted cancer treatments. Our comprehensive review will shed light on the multifaceted role and therapeutic potential of Sulf-2 in human tumor biology.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the role of mean corpuscular volume (MCV) as a predictor of mortality due to COVID-19.

Materials and methods: This retrospective, single-center, and longitudinal study included 122 patients with COVID-19.

Results: Compared to the survivor's group, the non-survivors had higher MCV (92.13 ± 3.67 fL), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio [NLR] (16.99 [21.31]), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio [PLR] (350.33 [304.68]), and systemic immune-inflammation index [SII] (3684.92 [4073.25]) levels (p < 0.05 for all). The optimal cutoff values for predicting in-hospital COVID-19 mortality, determined by the Youden index, indicated that patients with MCV > 89 fL, NLR > 8.69, PLR > 418.08, or SII > 2149.36 were at a higher risk of death due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The area under the curves (AUC) of NLR, SII, MCV, and PLR was sufficient for accurate prediction. COVID-19 patients with MCV > 89 fL and PLR > 418.08 were 3.65 (95% CI 1.03-12.87; p = 0.043) and 5.08 (95% CI 1.06-24.22; p = 0.041) times more likely to die than those without these values, respectively. MCV was positively correlated with age, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), urea, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine.

Conclusion: MCV > 89 fL and PLR > 418.08 at the time of hospital admission were associated with an increased COVID-19 mortality risk.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic value of DR-70 immunoassay and its combination with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) measurement for detecting lung malignancies.

Methods: Serum concentrations of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and DR-70 were quantitatively assessed using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), in 110 patients diagnosed with primary lung cancer, 48 patients with pulmonary benign lesions, and 164 healthy subjects.

Results: Serum levels of both DR-70 and CEA showed statistically significant differences between lung cancer patients and healthy controls (p < 0.001). The study found that the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and area under the curve (AUC), for DR-70 alone were 71.8%, 84.2%, 70.5%, 85.7%, and 0.836, respectively, which was superior to the values of 62.7%, 68.3%, 49.6%, 78.6%, 0.689 for CEA alone. The values for the combination of DR-70 and CEA were 87.3, 55.7%, 50.0%, 89.8%, and 0.846. The combination method significantly improved the sensitivity, NPV and AUC while concurrently reducing specificity and PPV, compared to DR-70 or CEA alone.

Conclusion: Individual serum DR-70 testing and the combined DR-70+CEA panel exhibited robust diagnostic efficacy in lung adenocarcinoma detection.

Purpose: To clarify the relationship of lung ultrasound score (LUS) with the risk of mortality in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Methods: Several electronic databases were searched up to 14 October 2024. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were combined to assess the relationship between LUS and mortality in ARDS patients. Subgroup analysis stratified by the age and grouping method by LUS were further performed. Sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the stability of pooled results and Begg's funnel plot and Egger's test were applied to detect publication bias.

Results: Sixteen studies with 1762 patients were included. Overall pooled results demonstrated that elevated LUS was significantly related to increased risk of mortality among ARDS patients (OR = 2.29, 95% CI: 1.45-3.63, P < 0.001). Besides, subgroup analysis stratified by the age (adult: OR = 2.01, p = 0.004; child: OR = 15.29, P < 0.001) and grouping method by LUS (dichotomous: OR = 5.60, p = 0.001; continuous: OR = 1.65, P < 0.001) revealed similar results. Sensitivity analysis indicated that pooled results were stable and Begg's funnel plot and Egger's test (p = 0.946) manifested that no significant publication bias was observed.

Conclusion: Our meta-analysis indicates that a higher LUS is significantly associated with increased risk of mortality in ARDS patients.

Aims: To assess the prognostic value of serial serum albumin measurements in septic patients, with a focus on different clinical phenotypes.

Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study involving 254 patients with sepsis admitted to an Intermediate Care Unit in Italy (September 2022-June 2024). Patients were classified into four sepsis phenotypes (α, β, γ, δ), and serum albumin levels were measured daily over five days. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Logistic regression, Cox models, and AUROC analysis were used to evaluate associations between albumin dynamics, phenotypes, and outcomes.

Results: The δ phenotype showed the lowest mean albumin levels (2.2 g/dL) and the highest mortality (45.4%), while phenotype α had the highest albumin and lowest mortality (3.6%). Each 1 g/dL increase in albumin was associated with a 63% mortality risk reduction (HR 0.37; 95% CI: 0.24-0.56). Albumin's predictive performance was strongest in the δ phenotype (AUROC up to 0.95).

Conclusion: Serial albumin monitoring may provide prognostic insights in sepsis, especially in phenotypes associated with endothelial dysfunction. These results are hypothesis-generating and may support more personalized treatment strategies.

Objective: Based on GEO database and bioinformatics to screen silicosis-related differentially expressed genes and analyze the biological functions, in order to provide new ideas and methods for the treatment of silicosis fibrosis.

Methods: We predicted microRNAs related to silicosis through bioinformatics and verified the expression of microRNAs in patients with silicosis and healthy people by Real-time Fluorescence Quantitative PCR.

Results: Three key genes (LCN2, MMP9, and CCL2) were identified, with hsa-miR-4651, hsa-miR-608, and hsa-miR-3151-5p predicted as their regulatory miRNAs. Hsa-miR-4651 and hsa-miR-608 were significantly upregulated in silicosis patient plasma, indicating their potential as biomarkers for silicosis diagnosis.

Conclusions: Hsa-miR-4651 and hsa-miR-608 were identified as potential novel biomarkers for silicosis diagnosis, offering new insights for clinical diagnosis and treatment of silicosis fibrosis.

Aims: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are a critical biomarker for cancer evaluation. The more excellent detection system for CTCs is in demand.

Patients & methods: One hundred and thirty-seven breast cancer patients, 97 patients with benign breast diseases, and 42 healthy volunteers were enrolled. Four milliliters of peripheral blood was used for CTCs detection. The performance was assessed by the receiver operator characteristic curve. A short-term follow-up with 23 patients was presented for real-time monitoring.

Results: In clinical, CTCs were found in 96.35% of patients with malignant breast cancer and 25.77% of patients with benign breast diseases but not in healthy group, by CytoBot® 2000. The sensitivity and specificity of 89.8% and 98.6%, respectively, when the cutoff value of 1.5 CTCs per 4 ml whole blood. Significant differences of CTC count were found between malignant and nonmalignant group (p < 0.0001), tumor progression (p < 0.0001), and tumor size (p < 0.0001). In follow-up, 82.61% of patients exhibited a reduction in CTC count, which corresponds with medical observation that benefits from treatment. Additionally, CD45⁺ positive CTC showed with anomalous pattern during treatment.

Conclusion: CTCs and this platform both have practical implications in clinical breast cancer diagnosis and monitoring.

Aim: To explore the relationship between plasma myeloperoxidase (MPO) and glaucoma, assessing the clinical utility of MPO in glaucoma.

Methods: A cross-sectional study involved 127 glaucoma patients and 106 healthy controls. Plasma MPO markers were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), comparing levels between glaucoma patients and healthy controls, and analyzing plasma MPO across different glaucoma severity grades.

Results: In this study, we observed elevated plasma MPO levels in glaucoma patients (p < 0.001). After correcting for confounders such as age, sex, hypertension, and diabetes, plasma MPO remained independently associated with glaucoma (OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.04-1.07, p < 0.001). Plasma MPO may reflect the severity of glaucoma, with significant differences in plasma MPO observed between early and severe stages, but not in the moderate stages. In addition, elevated plasma MPO was associated with higher cup-to-disc ratios. ROC curve analysis demonstrated the validity of glaucoma markers in identifying early glaucoma from severe glaucoma (early versus severe: AUC = 0.633).

Conclusion: Elevated plasma MPO levels are independently associated with glaucoma risk, suggesting it might provide insight into disease pathogenesis.

Background: Corin is a cardiac protease that plays a role in transforming pro-natriuretic peptides into their active biological forms. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum corin levels and functional capacity in patients with advanced heart failure.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 88 consecutive patients with LVEF (Left ventricular ejection fraction) <25% who were referred to the tertiary cardiovascular center. Serum corin levels were measured using ELISA (Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) prior to CPET (Cardiopulmonary exercise testing). Multivariable linear regression was used to assess the independent association between serum corin levels and peak VO₂ (Peak oxygen consumption).

Results: The mean age was 51.3 ± 12.2 years, and 86.4% were male. The mean peak VO₂ was 13.6 ± 3.99 mL/min/kg and the mean serum corin level was 1.7 ± 0.82 ng/mL. In multivariable analysis, serum corin level was an independent predictor of peak VO₂ (Coefficient: 1.206, 95% CI: 0.527-1.880, p = 0.0007).

Conclusion: Lower serum corin levels are independently associated with reduced functional capacity in advanced heart failure. Corin may serve as a valuable biomarker to complement CPET in clinical evaluation, risk stratification, and treatment planning.

Introduction: MicroRNA (miRNA) single nucleotide polymorphisms (miRNA-SNPs) have been associated with pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). However, since the results of these individual studies have been inconsistent, we performed a meta-analysis to help establish a statistical significance for the association between miRNA-SNPs and pediatric ALL risk. We also analyzed whether they confer susceptibility across country-specific studies by using different genetic models.

Methods: Articles published from 2001 to 2023 were collected from PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Through MetaGenyo, the association between miRNA- SNPs and pediatric ALL risk was calculated by pooled odds ratio [ORs] and 95% CI. A subgroup analysis of pooled ORs in country-specific studies was also performed.

Results: Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 14 studies were analyzed to extract data on miR146 rs2910164, miR-196a2 rs11614913, miR-612 rs12803915 and mir-499 rs3746444. While the pooled data analysis did not reveal any association, a subgroup analysis demonstrated country-specific differences in allele frequencies of all the four miRNAs in various genetic models, implying ethnicity-based risk.

Conclusion: Our results suggested that miRNA-SNPS can still be considered as a potential risk factor to be explored in more populations.