Northwestern University in Illinois, US, has announced a new method for detecting RNA modification patterns in blood samples that could enhance early colon cancer detection.
This was detailed in a study published in Nature Biotechnology.
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Wei Zhang, a professor at Northwestern University’s division of cancer epidemiology and prevention, co-authored the research, along with research assistant professor Xiaolong Cui.
Their new approach leverages molecular signals in the blood, offering a non-invasive alternative to traditional methods such as colonoscopies.
Previous studies by Zhang showed the potential of epigenetic markers on cell-free DNA for early liver cancer detection.
Found in blood plasma, cell-free RNA includes various RNA types such as rRNA, tRNA, and mRNA, and may indicate cancer development and the body’s responses.
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By GlobalDataThe study introduced LIME-seq, a new non-invasive technique capable of detecting RNA modifications at a detailed level across different RNA types.
The method can identify changes in RNA modification levels.
Researchers using LIME-seq on cell-free RNA samples found tRNAs to be significant components in human plasma, alongside other RNA types such as rRNAs.
The new method also detected methylation signals from both human and microbial genomes.
In tests comparing plasma samples from 27 colon cancer patients and 36 healthy individuals, significant methylation differences were observed.
Zhang emphasised the need for larger clinical trials to validate these biomarkers for colon cancer and potentially other cancers.
Zhang said: “A blood-based test with high sensitivity and specificity could improve screening compliance and patient survival because, to date, early detection followed by curative surgery is still the only viable way to enhance clinical outcomes for colorectal cancer patients.
“The LIME-seq uses the human HIV reverse transcriptase to make complementary DNA (cDNA) copies from cell-free RNA.
“The RNA–cDNA ligation strategy in LIME-seq ensures the capture of all short RNA species like tRNA in plasma, which are often lost in typical RNA-seq libraries that use commercial kits. Of note, commercial RNA-seq kits cannot be used to quantify and map RNA methylations as well.”
