Silent Biomarkers: Circulating Nucleic Acids for Non-Invasive Diagnostics

Recent advancements in circulating nucleic acids improve non-invasive diagnostics and disease monitoring.

Highlights:

Circulating nucleic acids (cf-DNA, cf-RNA) aid in early disease detection
Special tubes ensure stable cf-DNA and cf-RNA for accurate testing
Key for personalized medicine and disease monitoring

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and RNA (cfRNA) present in plasma, serum, and urine samples are extremely useful for diagnosing and monitoring diseases. Recent advances in sequencing and mass spectrometry have made it possible for researchers to detect genetic material in microscopic sizes, revolutionizing the early detection of an array of diseases. Non-invasive prenatal diagnostics have been increasingly popular in prenatal care since the identification of fetal-specific DNA and RNA ().

In addition to their use in the study of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease, oncologists are also using tumor-derived nucleic acids to detect and monitor malignancies. Research on cell-free nucleic acids has advanced, opening the door for liquid biopsies, which allow for customized drug regimens, therapy monitoring, and early illness identification. However, the stability and integrity of cfDNA and cfRNA are critical for accurate analysis, which means that appropriate handling, storage, and collection are necessary for good results.

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Liquid biopsies enable close monitoring of cancers in a minimally non-invasive method. Also, can detect, characterize, and monitor cancers much earlier than conventional methods. Liquid biopsies could soon become a routine test for preventive cancer ...

‘Did You Know?
Circulating nucleic acids, like cfDNA and cfRNA, serve as non-invasive biomarkers for cancer, prenatal screening, and organ transplant monitoring. #liquidbiopsy #diagnostictesting #medindia’

Next-Gen Collection for Cell-Free DNA & RNA

The cf-DNA/cf-RNA Preservative Tubes are made by Norgen Biotek especially to preserve cell-free DNA (cf-DNA), circulating tumor DNA (ct-DNA), and cell-free RNA (cf-RNA). Together with preserved circulating tumor cells, the novel tube design enables genetic materials to survive for thirty days at room temperature and eight days at 37°C.

These customized tubes offer superior blood cell protection, allowing for the recovery of pure plasma suitable for testing technologies such as Polymerase Chain Reaction(PCR), Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction(qPCR), and Next-Generation Sequencing(NGS). These tubes are crucial for scientific and medical tasks because of their improved ability to extract DNA and RNA, which raises the precision of medical diagnosis techniques and research applications ().

Cell-Free DNA: A New Era in Non-Invasive Diagnostics
Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) offers a non-invasive way to detect and monitor diseases like cancer, providing crucial insights through simple blood tests.

Decoding the Role of Cell-Free DNA and RNA

Origins and Nature: cfDNA and cfRNA enter the bloodstream by active secretion by living cells, necrosis (uncontrolled cell death), and apoptosis (planned cell death).
The significance of diagnosis: They serve as non-invasive markers of organ transplant rejection, prenatal abnormalities, and cancer.
Developments in Liquid Biopsies: The capacity to identify and analyze cfDNA and cfRNA has led to revolutionary developments in liquid biopsy, a technique that uses a straightforward blood test to identify illnesses early.

A Non Invasive Screening Test for Fetal Genetic Anomalies: Cell-Free DNA Testing
Cell-free DNA analysis of maternal plasma is easy ,non- invasive and highly effective in detecting fetal chromosomal and genetic abnormalities in antenatal mothers

Disease Detection & Diagnosis

Important biomarkers for detecting and tracking a range of illnesses are these circulating nucleic acids:

Cancer Detection: Because tumor-derived cfDNA has mutations specific to cancer cells, it can be used to track the progression of tumors and detect them early without invasive biopsy.
Prenatal Screening: Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is made possible by fetal cfDNA in maternal blood, and it can identify chromosomal abnormalities like Down syndrome.
Organ Transplant Monitoring: cfDNA from a transplanted organ can help physicians modify immuno-suppressive drugs and identify early rejection.
Other diseases and neurological disorders: According to research, cfRNA, which shows cellular activity in real time, may provide insight into neurological conditions as well as other illnesses like Alzheimer's, autoimmune diseases, and stroke.

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Liquid Biopsy: The Future of Non-Invasive Diagnostics

The capacity to analyze cfDNA and cfRNA has accelerated the development of liquid biopsy, a cutting-edge technique that uses a simple blood test to identify disease. In contrast to conventional biopsies, which necessitate the intrusive removal of tissue.

Liquid biopsy has the following advantages,

Real-time monitoring and early detection of disease

Liquid biopsy can detect the traces of cfDNA and cfRNA released by cancer cells, but current diagnostic methods only detect issues after they have advanced. Cancer patients are more benefited from frequent blood testing because they can detect new genetic changes and evaluate the impact of treatment. This strategy should be used to modify medication as soon as patients show signs of drug resistance or disease recurrence.

Minimally invasive techniques with lower hazards

The procedure of conducting traditional tissue biopsies often requires surgical access , causes pain and safety risks while limiting repetition. A minimally invasive, painless blood draw is all that is needed for the liquid biopsy technique.

Personalized treatment strategies using molecular profiling

The innovative feature of liquid biopsy is made possible by precisioned medical technologies that create personalized treatment regimens based on genetic makeup. They are beneficial in,

Identifying specific gene mutations, delivering targeted therapies.
Drug resistance detection,thereby modifying treatment strategies.
Personalized Prenatal Care, which helps parents make better decisions based on the genetic profile of the unborn child.

Liquid biopsy is revolutionizing diagnosis and treatment methods due to its highly accurate disease detection and non-invasive, patient-friendly sample collection methods. Future research and technological advancements will make liquid biopsy a common practice in personalized healthcare, which will increase early disease detection, treatment efficacy, and patient recovery results.

"Circulating Antibodies Nature’s Smart Detectives for Defense and Diagnosis"

References:

Circulating Nucleic Acids In Plasma And Serum: Recent Developments - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17108186/)
cf-DNA/cf-RNA Preservative Tubes For Whole Blood Collection - (https://www.news-medical.net/cf-DNAcf-RNA-Preservative-Tubes-for-Whole-Blood-Collection)

Source-Medindia