Role of exosomal long non-coding RNAs in colorectal cancer

Exosomes are a class of small extracellular vesicles,30-150 nm in diameter,that transfer biological information(e.g.,DNA,RNA,and protein)via cell-to-cell communication.Exosomes play critical roles in the occurrence and development of human cancers,including colorectal cancer(CRC).Recent studies have shown that long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs)can be encapsulated in exosomes,which transfer lncRNAs from secretory cells into recipient cells.This process affects the progression of CRC,since exosomal lncRNAs display special and extensive functions in CRC tumorigenesis,including malignant proliferation,metastasis,chemoresistance,and inflammatory response.Moreover,due to their specificity and sensitivity,exosomal lncRNAs are released into body fluids(e.g.,urine,sputum,and plasma),which have the potential to be biomarkers of CRC tumorigenesis within screening efforts and medical and epidemiologic research.In this review,we aim to clarify the function and mechanism of exosomal lncRNAs in CRC tumorigenesis and provide a strategy for early diagnosis and medical treatment of this malignancy.

Clinical significance of serum miR-129-5p in patients with diabetes mellitus presenting macrovascular complications

BACKGROUND Diabetic macrovascular complications(DMCs)are the most common complications encountered during the course of diabetes mellitus(DM)with extremely high mortality rates.Therefore,there is an urgent need to identify specific and sensitive biomarkers for the early diagnosis of DMCs.AIM To investigate the expression and significance of serum miR-129-5p in patients with DM and macrovascular complications.METHODS Serum samples were collected from 36 healthy controls,58 patients with DM presenting no macrovascular complications,and 62 patients with DMCs.The expression of miR-129-5p was detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.Pearson’s correlation assay was performed to analyze the correlation between serum miR-129-5p levels and clinical indicators.Receiver operator characteristic(ROC)analysis was conducted to analyze the diagnostic value of serum miR-129-5p in patients with DM or DMCs.RESULTS There was a 4.378-fold and 7.369-fold increase in serum miR-129-5p expression in the DM(5.346±0.405)and DMCs(8.998±0.631)groups,respectively(P<0.001),compared with the control group(1.221±0.090).In addition,the expression of serum miR-129-5p in patients with DMCs was higher than that in patients with DM,revealing a 1.683-fold increase(P<0.001).Additionally,serum miR-129-5p expression significantly correlated with smoking history,disease duration,and glycated hemoglobin(HbA1c)in patients with DMCs(P<0.001).The area under the ROC curve(AUC)of miR-129-5p as a serum marker was 0.964(95%confidence interval[CI]:0.930-0.997,P<0.001)in distinguishing between patients with DM and healthy controls,whereas the AUC of miR-129-5p as a serum marker was 0.979(95%CI:0.959-0.999,P<0.001)in distinguishing between patients with DMCs and healthy controls.CONCLUSION Elevated serum miR-129-5p expression levels correlate with the development of DMCs and can be utilized as a novel early diagnostic biomarker for DM combined with macrovascular complications.