Project description:This project analyzes plasma profiles of patients suffering from lung cancer and controls with other non-cancer lung diseases Analysis of plasma obtained from 26 patients collected at up to 8 time points and from 12 controls
Project description:This project analyzes peripheral miRNA blood profiles of patients with lung diseases. Since miRNAs are known to be valuable diagnostic markers we asked whether respective patterns of lung cancer patients and COPD patients can be detected in peripheral blood samples rather than in biopsies. The project aimed at an impoved understanding of complex profiles rather than single markers. Thus, a high-throughput technique was necessary, profiling all known miRNAs integratively. n = 19 normal controls, n = 28 lung cancer patients and n = 24 COPD samples have been screened for the complete miRNA repertoire. Please note that each miRNA has been measured in seven replicates and the median of the replica has been computed.
Project description:Exosomal miRNAs have been studied in relation to many diseases. However, there is little to no knowledge regarding the miRNA population of BALF or the lung tissue derived exosomes in COPD and IPF. Considering this, we determined and compared the miRNA profiles of BALF and lung tissue-derived exosomes from healthy non-smokers, healthy smokers, and patients with COPD and IPF. NGS results identified three differentially expressed miRNAs in the BALF, while one in the lung-derived exosomes from COPD patients as compared to healthy non-smokers. Of these, we found three- and five-fold downregulation of miR-122-5p amongst the lung tissue-derived exosomes from COPD patients as compared to healthy non-smokers and smokers, respectively. Interestingly, there were key 55 differentially expressed miRNAs in the lung tissue-derived exosomes of IPF patients compared to non-smoking controls.
Project description:This project analyzes peripheral blood profiles of controls and patients of 14 different diseases, all collected, measured, and analyzed using exactly the same SoP. Since miRNAs are known to be valuable diagnostic markers we asked whether respective patterns of patients can be detected in peripheral blood samples rather than in biopsies. The project aimed at an impoved understanding of complex profiles rather than single markers. Thus, a high-throughput technique was necessary, profiling all known miRNAs integratively and combining different diseases to achieve a high degree of specificity. A total of 454 samples was screened, containing patients with different cancer types (lung cancer, melanoma, prostate cancer, wilms tumors, tumor of stomach, pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer), autoimmune diseases (multiple sclerosis), cardiovascular (acute myocardial infarction), and chronic inflammatory diseases (sarcoidosis, periodontitis, pancreatitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases), as well as healthy control individuals. Please note that each miRNA has been measured in at least seven replicates and the median of the replica has been computed.
Project description:Background: There is ample evidence of blood-born miRNA signatures for various human diseases. To dissect the origin of disease-specific miRNA expression in human blood cells, we separately analyzed the miRNome of eosinophilic and neutrophilic granulocytes, monocytes, B-cells, T-cells, and natural killer cells, each in lung cancer patients and healthy individuals. Results: We found specific miRNA expression patterns for each immune cell type and also depending on the cell origin, line of defense, and function. The overall expression pattern of each leukocyte subtype showed great similarities between lung cancer patients and healthy controls. However, for each cell subtype we identified miRNAs that were deregulated in lung cancer patients including hsa-miR-21, a well- known oncomiR associated with poor lung cancer prognosis that was up-regulated in all subtype comparisons of lung cancer versus controls. While the miRNome of cells of the adaptive immune system allowed only a weak separation between patients and controls, cells of the innate immune system allowed perfect or nearly perfect classification. Conclusions: Leukocytes of lung cancer patients show a cancer-specific miRNA expression profile. Our data also show that cancer specific miRNA expression pattern of whole blood samples are not determined by a single cell type. The data indicate that additional blood components, like erythrocytes, platelets, or exosomes might contribute to the disease specificity of a miRNA signature.