Complex Molecular Diagnostics of Hemophilia A in Russian Patients

Russian Journal of Genetics - Hemophilia A is a frequent X-linked recessive blood clotting disorder. It is caused by mutations in the F8 gene (locus Xq28) and affects 1 in 5000 newborn boys. The...     

基于CRISPR/Cas的分子诊断传感器在非核酸分子诊断中的应用

CRISPR/Cas不仅是一种重要的基因编辑工具,而且还是一种有效的分子诊断工具。目前基于CRISPR/Cas建立了一系列的分子诊断传感器系统,广泛应用于核酸、非核酸等检测过程中。与应用较广泛的核酸分子诊断传感器系统相比,基于CRISPR/Cas的非核酸检测系统目前尚未见系统性综述,因此本文围绕基于CRISPR/Cas12和CRISPR/Cas13建立的两大类非核酸分子传感器诊断系统的基本特征、工作流程及其检测原理等进行了全面综述,期望能为CRISPR/Cas分子诊断系统在体外诊断中的应用提供依据。     

Accurate Diagnostics with the Use of Molecular Colonies

The accuracy and reliability of diagnostic tests for infections and cancer can be substantially improved by using a gel, rather than a liquid medium, to amplify nucleic acids and thereby to obtain molecular colonies.     

SELEX技术在胰腺癌分子诊断及靶向治疗中应用的研究进展

胰腺癌由于起病隐匿,早期诊断率较低,临床治疗效果差,是目前预后最差的恶性肿瘤之一。目前,临床上尚缺乏有效的非创伤早期筛查胰腺癌的手段,因而胰腺癌的早期诊断和治疗显得尤为重要。近年来,指数富集配基的系统进化(SELEX)技术以其在其他疾病中所表现的应用价值为疾病的诊治提供了一个新的途径。对于缺乏有效确诊手段,发病隐匿且病死率高的胰腺癌而言,SELEX技术基于胰腺癌发病的分子机制,可以筛选出特异结合于胰腺癌分子靶标的适配体,对筛选所得适配体进一步化学修饰,可以实现分子水平成像及靶向治疗,进而达到胰腺癌早期诊治的目的,具有重要的临床意义。本文就SELEX技术在胰腺癌分子诊断及靶向治疗中的应用研究进展进行了综述。     

New Labelling Technology for Molecular Probes Applied to the Ligation Detection Reaction–Universal Array System

The ligation detection reaction (LDR) associated with universal arrays (UA) uses a fluorescently labelled probe (DP) and a Zip Code-extended probe to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms in DNA target sequences. When used for genotyping, the LDR-UA technique uses two DPs, each specific to an allele and labelled with a different fluorophore. The fluorescent signals are processed to calculate the genotype. The uneven decay of fluorophores due to ageing and freezing/thawing cycles and the consequent unequal fluoresce level can lead to erroneous genotype calls. To circumvent this problem, an indirect labelling strategy was developed based on the substitution of the fluorophore with allele-specific 22 bp universal labelling sequences (ULS). Labelling is achieved with fluorescently labelled oligos complementary to the ULS (cULS). The strategy improved the uniformity in probe labelling, and generated results comparable to those using direct-labelled probes, as shown by genotyping 22 polymorphic sites in 70 samples with both strategies. This method can be easily implemented in the routine screening with LDR-UA or other techniques. Moreover, the approach results in a significant cost reduction over traditional direct labelling, and offers the possibility to interchange fluorophores and to increase the fluorescent signal by using multiple-labelled cULS.     

悬浮芯片技术应用进展

悬浮芯片技术(SAT)是一种新型、高通量的生物芯片技术,它是将流式细胞术、激光技术及应用流体学等技术结合在一起,利用悬浮在液相中的分类荧光编码微球作为检测载体,具有高通量、速度快、灵敏度高、特异性强及检测范围广等特点.近几年来,悬浮芯片技术在免疫学、基因组学、蛋白质组学及临床诊断检测等方面应用较广泛.就其原理、技术特点...     

The Updated Concept of Genome and Its Implications in Biotechnological Research and Molecular Diagnostics

We propose a short definition of GENOME: The full complement of genetic materials possessed by an intracellular parasite, a cell, or an organism. Accordingly, the human genome is the entire complement of inherited genetic materials possessed by an individual person, or possessed by a cell in an individual person. For higher species, the genomic makeup includes DNA in the nucleus and in the organelles regardless of the number of chromosomes and the homoplasmic or heteroplasmic status of the mitochondrial or chloroplastic DNA. Practically, GENOME can be referred to at the molecular, cellular, individual, and species levels, which has various implications in biotechnological research and molecular diagnostics. Li Xiao and Juan-Sebastian Saldivar contributed equally to this article.     

Biomarkers and Molecular Analysis to Improve Bloodstream Infection Diagnostics in an Emergency Care Unit

Molecular pathogen detection from blood is still expensive and the exact clinical value remains to be determined. The use of biomarkers may assist in preselecting patients for immediate molecular testing besides blood culture. In this study, 140 patients with ≥ 2 SIRS criteria and clinical signs of infection presenting at the emergency department of our hospital were included. C-reactive protein (CRP), neutrophil-lymphocyte count ratio (NLCR), procalcitonin (PCT) and soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) levels were determined. One ml EDTA blood was obtained and selective pathogen DNA isolation was performed with MolYsis (Molzym). DNA samples were analysed for the presence of pathogens, using both the MagicPlex Sepsis Test (Seegene) and SepsiTest (Molzym), and results were compared to blood cultures. Fifteen patients had to be excluded from the study, leaving 125 patients for further analysis. Of the 125 patient samples analysed, 27 presented with positive blood cultures of which 7 were considered to be contaminants. suPAR, PCT, and NLCR values were significantly higher in patients with positive blood cultures compared to patients without (p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curves of the 4 biomarkers for differentiating bacteremia from non-bacteremia showed the highest area under the curve (AUC) for PCT (0.806 (95% confidence interval 0.699–0.913)). NLCR, suPAR and CRP resulted in an AUC of 0.770, 0.793, and 0.485, respectively. When compared to blood cultures, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) for SepsiTest and MagicPlex Sepsis Test were 11%, 96%, 43%, 80%, and 37%, 77%, 30%, 82%, respectively. In conclusion, both molecular assays perform poorly when one ml whole blood is used from emergency care unit patients. NLCR is a cheap, fast, easy to determine, and rapidly available biomarker, and therefore seems most promising in differentiating BSI from non-BSI patients for subsequent pathogen identification using molecular diagnostics.     

Molecular Diagnostics of Fine Needle Aspiration for the Presurgical Screening of Thyroid Nodules

“The incidence of thyroid cancer, the most common endocrine malignancy, is rising. The two most common types of thyroid cancer are papillary and follicular” thyroid carcinomas. “Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of thyroid nodules” can permit to detect many genetic mutations and other molecular alterations, including RAS and BRAF point mutations, PAX8/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ and “RET/PTC rearrangements, occurring in thyroid papillary and follicular carcinomas” (more than 70% of cases), which can be used successfully to improve the diagnosis “and the management of patients with thyroid nodules”. The most extensive experience has been accumulated with “the diagnostic use of BRAF mutation”, which is highly specific for malignancy. “Testing FNA samples for a panel of mutations” that typically includes RAS, BRAF, PAX8/PPARγ and RET/PTC could permit to achieve the biggest diagnostic impact. “The accuracy of cancer diagnosis in thyroid nodules could be improved significantly using these and other emerging molecular markers”.     

Method for Assessing the Reliability of Molecular Diagnostics Based on Multiplexed SERS-Coded Nanoparticles

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanoparticles have been engineered to generate unique fingerprint spectra and are potentially useful as bright contrast agents for molecular diagnostics. One promising strategy for biomedical diagnostics and imaging is to functionalize various particle types (“flavors”), each emitting a unique spectral signature, to target a large multiplexed panel of molecular biomarkers. While SERS particles emit narrow spectral features that allow them to be easily separable under ideal conditions, the presence of competing noise sources and background signals such as detector noise, laser background, and autofluorescence confounds the reliability of demultiplexing algorithms. Results obtained during time-constrained in vivo imaging experiments may not be reproducible or accurate. Therefore, our goal is to provide experimentalists with a metric that may be monitored to enforce a desired bound on accuracy within a user-defined confidence level. We have defined a spectral reliability index (SRI), based on the output of a direct classical least-squares (DCLS) demultiplexing routine, which provides a measure of the reliability of the computed nanoparticle concentrations and ratios. We present simulations and experiments to demonstrate the feasibility of this strategy, which can potentially be utilized for a range of instruments and biomedical applications involving multiplexed SERS nanoparticles.     

Neonatal Screening for Cystic Fibrosis: Addition of Molecular Diagnostics to Increase Specificity

Newborn screening for cystic fibrosis (CF) has been carried out on approximately 106,000 neonates in western Pennsylvania since 1987 using the immunoreactive trypsinogen (IRT) assay on dried filter paper blood specimens (DBS). Molecular analysis utilizing a duplicate DBS from the same sample was implemented in November 1989 for newborns having elevated IRT levels. DNA is amplified directly from the DBS and the amplified products are tested for the delta F508 deletion and several common exon 11 mutations. Substituting dUTP for dTTP in the PCR reaction and an initial treatment with uracil N-glycosylase (UNG) virtually eliminates PCR carryover contamination. The number of confirmed cases of CF is 20, giving an estimated incidence of 1:5287 in the western Pennsylvania population. Eight of the CF patients are homozygous and 12 are compound heterozygotes for the delta F508 deletion and a second mutation. Two of the compound heterozygotes carry the G551D mutation and one has the R553X mutation. Twenty-one additional neonates that are heterozygous for the delta F508 mutation are normal carriers for CF. In approximately 55% of the cases, molecular analysis of the CF gene confirmed the diagnosis of CF prior to sweat testing. The incorporation of molecular analysis into our CF screening program increases the specificity of the screening strategy and has the potential to decrease the false positive and sweat test referral rate, reduce parental anxiety, and bring CF infants to the attention of physicians more rapidly.     

Analysis of Molecular Cytogenetic Alteration in Rhabdomyosarcoma by Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common pediatric soft tissue sarcoma with poor prognosis. The genetic etiology of RMS remains largely unclear underlying its development and progression. To reveal novel genes more precisely and new therapeutic targets associated with RMS, we used high-resolution array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) to explore tumor-associated copy number variations (CNVs) and genes in RMS. We confirmed several important genes by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR). We then performed bioinformatics-based functional enrichment analysis for genes located in the genomic regions with CNVs. In addition, we identified miRNAs located in the corresponding amplification and deletion regions and performed miRNA functional enrichment analysis. aCGH analyses revealed that all RMS showed specific gains and losses. The amplification regions were 12q13.12, 12q13.3, and 12q13.3–q14.1. The deletion regions were 1p21.1, 2q14.1, 5q13.2, 9p12, and 9q12. The recurrent regions with gains were 12q13.3, 12q13.3–q14.1, 12q14.1, and 17q25.1. The recurrent regions with losses were 9p12–p11.2, 10q11.21–q11.22, 14q32.33, 16p11.2, and 22q11.1. The mean mRNA level of GLI1 in RMS was 6.61-fold higher than that in controls (p = 0.0477) by QRT-PCR. Meanwhile, the mean mRNA level of GEFT in RMS samples was 3.92-fold higher than that in controls (p = 0.0354). Bioinformatic analysis showed that genes were enriched in functions such as immunoglobulin domain, induction of apoptosis, and defensin. Proto-oncogene functions were involved in alveolar RMS. miRNAs that located in the amplified regions in RMS tend to be enriched in oncogenic activity (miR-24 and miR-27a). In conclusion, this study identified a number of CNVs in RMS and functional analyses showed enrichment for genes and miRNAs located in these CNVs regions. These findings may potentially help the identification of novel biomarkers and/or drug targets implicated in diagnosis of and targeted therapy for RMS.     

十一五国家高技术研究发展计划“重大疾病的分子分型和个体化诊疗”重大项目布局及实施情况分析

简要分析了"十一五"期间国家高技术研究发展计划("863"计划)"重大疾病的分子分型和个体化诊疗"重大项目的课题设置及实施情况。分别从本项目研究方向及课题设置、课题承担单位及研究人员结构、课题完成情况及所取得的代表性研究成果等方面进行了具体分析和归纳总结,供广大科技工作者参考。     

蛋白质芯片技术应用于高通量单克隆抗体制备研究

针对在传统的单克隆抗体制备过程中进行特异性筛选时大量的人力消耗,建立了一种联合应用蛋白质芯片进行单克隆抗体制备的方法。用8种重组蛋白分别免疫BALB/c小鼠,在传统的细胞融合的基础上,将8种抗原免疫的杂交瘤阳性细胞混合后进行克隆化、蛋白质芯片筛选,阳性细胞有限稀释克隆化制备相关抗体。实验结果:混合克隆化共得到单克隆细胞175孔,经蛋白质芯片筛选出阳性孔119孔,选择针对单一抗原阳性的细胞连续2轮克隆化,8种重组蛋白各获得单克隆抗体细胞株1株。与经典的单克隆抗体制备相比,蛋白质芯片筛选与混合克隆化技术联合应用于单克隆抗体制备,1个筛选周期获得了8种重组蛋白的单克隆抗体细胞株,提高了单克隆抗体的制备效率,节省了在筛选中的抗原用量,提供了一种经济、快速、简便的方法。     

蛋白质芯片技术应用于高通量单克隆抗体制备研究

针对在传统的单克隆抗体制备过程中进行特异性筛选时大量的人力消耗,建立了一种联合应用蛋白质芯片进行单克隆抗体制备的方法。用8种重组蛋白分别免疫BALB/c小鼠,在传统的细胞融合的基础上,将8种抗原免疫的杂交瘤阳性细胞混合后进行克隆化、蛋白质芯片筛选,阳性细胞有限稀释克隆化制备相关抗体。实验结果：混合克隆化共得到单克隆细胞175孔,经蛋白质芯片筛选出阳性孔119孔,选择针对单一抗原阳性的细胞连续2轮克隆化,8种重组蛋白各获得单克隆抗体细胞株1株。与经典的单克隆抗体制备相比,蛋白质芯片筛选与混合克隆化技术联合应用于单克隆抗体制备,1个筛选周期获得了8种重组蛋白的单克隆抗体细胞株,提高了单克隆抗体的制备效率,节省了在筛选中的抗原用量,提供了一种经济、快速、简便的方法。     

Geniom® Technology—The Benchtop Array Facility

Abstract

Febit AG develops an integrated benchtop instrument for in situ microarrays preparation, hybridization, readout and data analysis.     

Molecular Diagnostics of the Involvement of Visually Normal Mucosa in the Malignancy Process in Urothelial Bladder Cancer

Molecular Biology - Immunofluorescent method by flow cytometry was used to quantify the expression of the tumor-associated protein βIII-tubulin (TUBB3) in the tissue of urothelial bladder...     

Ultrasound Molecular Imaging with Targeted Microbubbles for Cancer Diagnostics: From Bench to Bedside

Background

Ultrasound plays an important role in cancer diagnosis. B-mode imaging and contrast-enhanced ultrasound are routinely used to detect cancerous lesions in breast and liver. The use of ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) such as microbubbles (MBs), which can be functionalized with targeting ligands, has further enabled ultrasound molecular imaging (USMI) of specific molecular markers in pre-clinical and the first clinical studies. As targeted MBs have a diameter of 1–4 μm, they are limited to the blood vasculature upon intravenous injection, and can bind to markers of the vascular endothelium. USMI with targeted MBs was applied for imaging of markers of inflammation, angiogenesis, and the tumor endothelium.