Genetic screening of liver cancer:State of the art

Liver cancer,primarily hepatocellular carcinoma,remains a global health challenge with rising incidence and limited therapeutic options.Genetic factors play a pivotal role in the development and progression of liver cancer.This state-of-the-art paper provides a comprehensive review of the current landscape of genetic screening strategies for liver cancer.We discuss the genetic underpinnings of liver cancer,emphasizing the critical role of risk-associated genetic variants,somatic mutations,and epigenetic alterations.We also explore the intricate interplay between environmental factors and genetics,highlighting how genetic screening can aid in risk stratification and early detection via using liquid biopsy,and advancements in high-throughput sequencing technologies.By synthesizing the latest research findings,we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art genetic screening methods for liver cancer,shedding light on their potential to revolutionize early detection,risk assessment,and targeted therapies in the fight against this devastating disease.

A Cell Screening Algorithm Integrating Genetic and Numerical Differentiation

The consistency of the cell has a significant impact on battery capacity,endurance,overall performance,safety,and service life extension.However,it is challenging to identify cells with high consistency and no loss of battery energy.This paper presents a cell screening algorithm that integrates genetic and numerical differentiation techniques.Initially,a mathematical model for battery consistency is established,and a multi-step charging strategy is proposed to satisfy the demands of fast charging technology.Subsequently,the genetic algorithm simulates biological evolution to efficiently search for superior cell combinations within a short time while evaluating capacity,voltage consistency,and charge/discharge efficiency.Finally,through experimental validation and comparative analysis with similar algorithms,our proposed method demonstrates notable advantages in terms of both search efficiency and performance.

Generation of a human haploid neural stem cell line for genome-wide genetic screening

BACKGROUND Haploid embryonic stem cells(haESCs)have been established in many species.Differentiated haploid cell line types in mammals are lacking due to spontaneous diploidization during differentiation that compromises lineage-specific screens.AIM To derive human haploid neural stem cells(haNSCs)to carry out lineage-specific screens.METHODS Human haNSCs were differentiated from human extended haESCs with the help of Y27632(ROCK signaling pathway inhibitor)and a series of cytokines to reduce diploidization.Neuronal differentiation of haNSCs was performed to examine their neural differentiation potency.Global gene expression analysis was conducted to compare haNSCs with diploid NSCs and haESCs.Fluorescence activated cell sorting was performed to assess the diploidization rate of extended haESCs and haNSCs.Genetic manipulation and screening were utilized to evaluate the significance of human haNSCs as genetic screening tools.RESULTS Human haESCs in extended pluripotent culture medium showed more compact and smaller colonies,a higher efficiency in neural differentiation,a higher cell survival ratio and higher stability in haploidy maintenance.These characteristics effectively facilitated the derivation of human haNSCs.These human haNSCs can be generated by differentiation and maintain haploidy and multipotency to neurons and glia in the long term in vitro.After PiggyBac transfection,there were multiple insertion sites in the human haNSCs’genome,and the insertion sites were evenly spread across all chromosomes.In addition,after the cells were treated with manganese,we were able to generate a list of manganese-induced toxicity genes,demonstrating their utility as genetic screening tools.CONCLUSION This is the first report of a generated human haploid somatic cell line with a complete genome,proliferative ability and neural differentiation potential that provides cell resources for recessive inheritance and drug targeted screening.

Embryo quality and chromosomal abnormality in embryos from couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology using preimplantation genetic screening

Objective:To detect common chromosomal aneuploidy variations in embryos from couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology and preimplantation genetic screening and their possible associations with embryo quality.Methods:In this study,359 embryos from 62 couples were screened for chromosomes 13,21,18,X,and Y by fluorescence insitu hybridization.For biopsy of blastomere,a laser was used to remove a significantly smaller portion of the zona pellucida.One blastomere was gently biopsied by an aspiration pipette through the hole.After biopsy,the embryo was immediately returned to the embryo scope until transfer.Embryo integrity and blastocyst formation were assessed on day 5.Results:Totally,282 embryos from 62 couples were evaluated.The chromosomes were normal in 199(70.57%)embryos and abnormal in 83(29.43%)embryos.There was no significant association between the quality of embryos and numerical chromosomal abnormality(P=0.67).Conclusions:Embryo quality is not significantly correlated with its genetic status.Hence,the quality of embryos determined by morphological parameters is not an appropriate method for choosing embryos without these abnormalities.

Clinical Analysis of the Colorectal Cohort within the Wales Cancer Biobank: A Study of Outcomes and Genetic Screening

Over the last 12 years, the Wales Cancer Biobank (WCB) has consented to more than 2000 patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). From these patients, clinical data has been collected and patients have been followed through their cancer journey. Clinical data from these patients have been analyzed to identify any correlation between disease grade and outcome. In a small cohort, consisting of 407 patients, WCB has performed genetic analysis on patient primary tumor samples, identifying and characterizing mutations in the KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA and TP53 genes. The majority of patients with CRC who were consented to WCB were male with a mean age of 69 years and received surgery as the primary treatment for their disease. Pathology and disease-free survival data confirmed worse prognoses associated with more advanced disease. Heterogeneity within the primary tumor was explored in a subgroup of patients. Analysis of the KRAS and TP53 genes confirmed that more than 40% of CRC patients who were tested, harbored a genetic mutation within these genes in their primary tumor. Due to the limited sample size tested, most mutations did not show significant differences in disease-free survival, however, mutation of the BRAF gene did show a decrease in the disease specific survival, in keeping with the published data. Analysis of the patients diagnosed with CRC within the Biobank has provided us with valuable information on the status of CRC disease and treatment within the Welsh population. Over 12 years of consenting, we have witnessed significant changes in the information that researchers are interested in when sourcing samples for translational research. The development of new drugs that are tailored to the genetics of a cancer is emerging and at WCB we are focusing our collections on samples and data that meet the needs of this ever-evolving field.

Genetic risk stratification of inflammatory bowel disease-associated venous thromboembolism:An Asian perspective

The utilisation of polygenic scoring models may enhance the clinician’s ability to risk stratify an inflammatory bowel disease patient’s individual risk for venous thromboembolism(VTE)and guide the appropriate usage of VTE thromboprophylaxis,yet there is a need to validate such models in ethnically diverse populations.

The Applications of CRISPR Screening in Aging Research

The advancement of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats(CRISPR)gene editing technology has revolutionized the comprehension of human genome,propelling molecular and cellular biology research into unexplored realms and accelerating progress in life sciences and medicine.CRISPR-based gene screening,recognized for its efficiency and practicality,is widely utilized across diverse biological fields.Aging is a multifaceted process governed by a myriad of genetic and epigenetic factors.Unraveling the genes regulating aging holds promise for understanding this intricate phenomenon and devising strategies for its assessment and intervention.This review provides a comprehensive overview of the progress in CRISPR screening and its applications in aging research,while also offering insights into future directions.CRISPR-based genetic-manipulation tools are positioned as indispensable instruments for mitigating aging and managing age-related diseases.

Protocol of Investigation on Sudden Death at Autopsy, Including Molecular, Genetic and Toxicology Testing

The role of the autopsy: 1) Whether the death is ascribable to a natural or unnatural cause and when natural, if cardiac or extra-cardiac;2) The nosology of the cardiac diseases and the mechanism of cardiac death, whether arrhythmic or mechanical;3) If the cardiac disease is inherited, screening and counselling of the next of kin is required. About 30% of sudden deaths is ascribable to genetically determined morbid entities, mostly transmissible with the autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance, so that 50% of the first degree relatives are genetically affected (“carriers”) and exposed at risk;4) If toxic or illicit drug abuse was involved.

Screening for genetic loci affecting the active zone formation in C. elegans

Objective To screen and identify genetic loci affecting the active zone formation in C. elegans. Methods A SYD-2：：GFP reporter was constructed and used as an active zone marker for forward genetic screen to identify genetic loci affecting the active zone formation. Results Eight isolated mutant alleles were characterized from 15,000 haploid genomes. The SYD-2：：GFP phenotypes of these mutants are mainly reflected as the changes of number, morphology, distribution of puncta and the gaps appearance. Some mutants also exhibit visible behavioral or physical phenotypes, and aldicarb resistant or sensitive phenotypes. Conclusion These mutants provide the opportunity for further systematic research on the active zone formation and the neurotransmission.

Rapid screening of genetically modified ingredients in soybean and cotton processing by-product and waste using direct qPCR

To develop a simple and fast method for screening genetically modified ingredients from processing by-product and waste,direct quantitative PCR(qPCR)kit-Taqman which omitting multi genomic DNA preparing steps was developed in this study.A total of 18 oil crop processing by-products and wastes including 10 soybean and 8 cotton materials were collected from food processing factories.Compared with 2 commercial direct qPCR kits,conditions of DNA releasing procedure and PCR amplification were optimized.Element screening was performed at the initial step of genetically modified(GM)ingredient testing procedure via direct qPCR.GM event identification was carried out in positive samples by initial screening.Totally 5 screening elements(P–35S,T-NOS,Cp4-epsps,bar and pat)for soybean materials and 6 screening elements(P–35S,T-NOS,NPTII,Cry1Ac,bar and pat)for cotton samples were detected.In GM event identification,MON531 and MON1445 were found in cotton materials.Results were further confirmed by real-time PCR with DNA extraction and purification.The direct qPCR system proposed by this research was convenient for rapid screening and identification of GM ingredients in oil crop primary by-product and waste.

Role of genetic screening in a chinese woman of childbearing age with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Objectives The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of genetic screening in a Chinese woman of childbearing age with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.Methods and Results One 39 year-old woman with presyncope for 10 years was admitted.Both of her father and her son died of sudden death and she strongly desire to get another baby. A series of clinical and laboratory studies were performed. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was diagnosed finally and implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator was implanted to prevent sudden cardiac death for her.Genomic DNA was isolated and the most common causal genes for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy were screened.A known pathogenetic heterozygous mutation c.700 g】a(p.Argl86Gln) in TNNI3 was found,which was not found in 100 normal control individuals matched for age,sex and geographical region.Because 50%probability of the pathogenetic mutation is inherited to the offsprings,she will get a healthy baby in vitro fertilization which the egg comes from a healthy female donor to prevent from the inherited HCM.Conclusions We found a pathogenetic TNNI3 mutation in a Chinese woman of childbearing age with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.The genetic screening definite DNA-based diagnosis and help to design a healthy fertilization in vitro for female with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

A Comparative Analysis of CRISPR Screening Technologies

This paper offers a general review and comparative analysis of various types of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) technologies. It evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of these technologies to identify the optimal approach for conducting genetic screens. Through an extensive literature review, this paper examines CRISPR nuclease, CRISPR activation (CRISPRa), and CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) screens. This study concludes that CRISPRa and CRISPRi are more advantageous due to their use of deactivated Cas9 proteins that only over-express or deactivate genes rather than irreversibly breaking genes like CRISPRn. Notably, CRISPRa is unique in its ability to over-express genes, while the other two technologies deactivate genes. Future studies may focus on inducing multiple mutations simultaneously—both gain-of-function and gene knockout—to carry out a more complete screen that can test the combinatorial effect of genes. Likewise, targeting both exons and introns can offer a more thorough understanding of a specific phenotype.

A novel genetic screen for leukemia stem cell immortalization genes

Leukemia, like many other cancers, is thought to arise from a small population of stem cells that have the capacity to self-renewal extensively and to initiate, sustain or regenerate the disease. Elimination of the leukemia stem cells （LSCs） will likely be essential, and probably sufficient, for curing this disease.Recent studies have shown that LSCs can be derived from early hematopoietic progenitors as well as more differentiated derivatives; the key feature being these cells have acquired an increased proliferative capacity and the ability to self-renew extensively. Genes that make this possible are attractive drug targets for treating leukemia. In our laboratory we have developed a novel in vitro genetic screen that uses retroviral insertional mutagenesis as a tool for identifying genes that are able to convert both normal hematoooietic progenitors and committed mveloid progenitor cells into cells that resemble LSCs.

Genetic testing in congenital heart disease:A clinical approach

Congenital heart disease(CHD) is the most common type of birth defect. Traditionally, a polygenic model defined by the interaction of multiple genes and environmental factors was hypothesized to account for different forms of CHD. It is now understood that the contribution of genetics to CHD extends beyond a single unified paradigm. For example, monogenic models and chromosomal abnormalities have been associated with various syndromic and non-syndromic forms of CHD. In such instances, genetic investigation and testing may potentially play an important role in clinical care. A family tree with a detailed phenotypic description serves as the initial screening tool to identify potentially inherited defects and to guide further genetic investigation. The selection of a genetic test is contingent upon the particular diagnostic hypothesis generated by clinical examination. Genetic investigation in CHD may carry the potential to improve prognosis by yielding valuable information with regards to personalized medical care, confidence in the clinical diagnosis, and/or targeted patient followup. Moreover, genetic assessment may serve as a tool to predict recurrence risk, define the pattern of inheritance within a family, and evaluate the need for further family screening. In some circumstances, prenatal or preimplantation genetic screening could identify fetuses or embryos at high risk for CHD. Although genetics may appear to constitute a highly specialized sector of cardiology, basic knowledge regarding inheritance patterns, recurrence risks, and available screening and diagnostic tools, including their strengths and limitations, could assist the treating physician in providing sound counsel.

Breast cancer screening and early diagnosis in Chinese women

Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor in Chinese women,and its incidence is increasing.Regular screening is an effective method for early tumor detection and improving patient prognosis.In this review,we analyze the epidemiological changes and risk factors associated with breast cancer in China and describe the establishment of a screening strategy suitable for Chinese women.Chinese patients with breast cancer tend to be younger than Western patients and to have denser breasts.Therefore,the age of initial screening in Chinese women should be earlier,and the importance of screening with a combination of ultrasound and mammography is stressed.Moreover,Chinese patients with breast cancers have several ancestry-specific genetic features,and aiding in the determination of genetic screening strategies for identifying high-risk populations.On the basis of current studies,we summarize the development of risk-stratified breast cancer screening guidelines for Chinese women and describe the significant improvement in the prognosis of patients with breast cancer in China.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: Risk factors, screening, and early detection

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, with over 38000 deaths in 2013. The opportunity to detect pancreatic cancer while it is still curable is dependent on our ability to identify and screen high-risk populations before their symptoms arise. Risk factors for developing pancreatic cancer include multiple genetic syndromes as well as modifiable risk factors. Genetic conditions include hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome, Lynch Syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis, Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome, familial atypical multiple mole melanoma syndrome, hereditary pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, and ataxia-telangiectasia; having a genetic predisposition can raise the risk of developing pancreatic cancer up to 132-fold over the general population. Modifiable risk factors, which include tobacco exposure, alcohol use, chronic pancreatitis, diet, obesity, diabetes mellitus, as well as certain abdominal surgeries and infections, have also been shown to increase the risk of pancreatic cancer development. Several largevolume centers have initiated such screening protocols, and consensus-based guidelines for screening high-riskgroups have recently been published. The focus of this review will be both the genetic and modifiable risk factors implicated in pancreatic cancer, as well as a review of screening strategies and their diagnostic yields.

Revealing Genetic Relationship and Prospecting of Novel Donors Among Upland Rice Genotypes Using qDTY-Linked SSR Markers

A total of 17 simple sequence repeat(SSR) markers linked to QTLs(qDTYs) governing grain yield under reproductive stage(RS) drought stress were used to assess the genetic relationship and prospecting new donors for q DTYs among 32 popular upland rice genotypes. These SSR markers generated a total of 36 alleles with an average allele count of 2.1 per locus. Polymorphic information content value of the markers ranged from 0.376 to 0.662 with an average value of 0.484. The expected heterozyogosity ranged from 0.381 to 0.632. STRUCTURE analysis divided the 32 genotypes into three sub-populations. Subsequent phenotyping revealed that all the tolerant genotypes were grouped into one sub-population, whereas the moderately tolerant and susceptible genotypes were grouped into separate sub-populations. Phylogenetic tree constructed by the unweighted neighbour-joining method also divided the genotypes into three clusters. The grouping pattern of genotypes into the clusters was similar to that into the STRUCTURE analysis, on the basis of drought tolerance level. The average value of genetic dissimilarity coefficient among the genotypes was observed to be 0.486. Furthermore, by combining genotyping data with phenotyping data, 16 new donors for 6 qDTYs were identified.

Generation of a series of mutant lines resistant to imidazolinone by screening an EMS-based mutant library in common wheat

The breeding of herbicide-resistant wheat varieties has helped control weeds in wheat fields economically and effectively.Imidazolinone (IMI) herbicides are popular as they have low toxicity in mammals,are effective at small doses,and exhibit broad-spectrum herbicidal action in the field.Therefore,the isolation and genetic and molecular characterization of IMI-resistant wheat mutants will enhance weed management in wheat fields.In the present study,352 IMI-resistant plants were isolated by genetic screening from a mutant pool prepared by EMS-based random mutagenesis.Cloning of the mutated genes from the IMI-resistant plants indicated that ten taals alleles had been isolated,and mutation in one of three Ta ALS homolog genes conferred IMI resistance,and such a mutation is a dominant trait.Further analysis showed that taals-d exhibited the greatest IMI resistance,whereas taals-b exhibited the weakest resistance to IMI among three homologous taals mutants.In terms of IMI resistance,the taals triple mutant was stronger than the taals double mutants,and the taals double mutants were stronger than the single mutants,indicating a dose-dependent effect of the Ta ALS mutation on IMI resistance in wheat.Biochemical analysis indicated that the mutation in Ta ALS increased the tolerance of Ta ALS to inhibition by IMI.Our work details the genetic and molecular characterization of als wheat mutants,provides a foundation for understanding IMI resistance and breeding wheat varieties with herbicide resistance,and indicates that genetic screening using a mutagenized pool is an effective and important means of breeding crops with additional desired agricultural traits.

Prostate cancer risk-associated genetic markers and their potential clinical utility

Prostate cancer （PCa） is one of the most common cancers among men in Western developed countries and its incidence has increased considerably in many other parts of the world, including China. The etiology of PCa is largely unknown but is thought to be multifactorial, where inherited genetics plays an important role. In this article, we first briefly review results from studies of familial aggregation and genetic susceptibility to PCa. We then recap key findings of rare and high-penetrance PCa susceptibility genes from linkage studies in PCa families. We devote a significant portion of this article to summarizing discoveries of common and Iow-penetrance PCa risk-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms （SNPs） from genetic association studies in PCa cases and controls, especially those from genome-wide association studies （GWASs）. A strong focus of this article is to review the literature on the potential clinical utility of these implicated genetic markers. Most of these published studies described PCa risk estimation using a genetic score derived from multiple risk-associated SNPs and its utility in determining the need for prostate biopsy. Finally, we comment on the newly proposed concept of genetic score; the notion is to treat it as a marker for genetic predisposition, similar to family history, rather than a diagnostic marker to discriminate PCa patients from non-cancer patients. Available evidence to date suggests that genetic score is an objective and better measurement of inherited risk of PCa than family history. Another unique feature of this article is the inclusion of genetic association studies of PCa in Chinese and Japanese populations.

A multicenter prospective study of next-generation sequencing-based newborn screening for monogenic genetic diseases in China

Background Newborn screening(NBS)is an important and successful public health program that helps improve the long-term clinical outcomes of newborns by providing early diagnosis and treatment of certain inborn diseases.The develop-ment of next-generation sequencing(NGS)technology provides new opportunities to expand current newborn screening methodologies.Methods We designed a a newborn genetic screening(NBGS)panel targeting 135 genes associated with 75 inborn disorders by multiplex PCR combined with NGS.With this panel,a large-scale,multicenter,prospective multidisease analysis was conducted on dried blood spot(DBS)profiles from 21,442 neonates nationwide.Results We presented the positive detection rate and carrier frequency of diseases and related variants in different regions;and 168(0.78%)positive cases were detected.Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase deficiency(G6PDD)and phenylketonuria(PKU)had higher prevalence rates,which were significantly different in different regions.The positive detection of G6PD variants was quite common in south China,whereas PAH variants were most commonly identified in north China.In addi-tion,NBGS identified 3 cases with DUOX2 variants and one with SLC25A13 variants,which were normal in conventional NBS,but were confirmed later as abnormal in repeated biochemical testing after recall.Eighty percent of high-frequency gene carriers and 60%of high-frequency variant carriers had obvious regional differences.On the premise that there was no significant difference in birth weight and gestational age,the biochemical indicators of SLC22A5 c.1400C>G and ACADSB c.1165A>G carriers were significantly different from those of non-carriers.Conclusions We demonstrated that NBGS is an effective strategy to identify neonates affected with treatable diseases as a supplement to current NBS methods.Our data also showed that the prevalence of diseases has significant regional charac-teristics,which provides a theoretical basis for screening diseases in different regions.