Digital PCR and its applications in noninvasive prenatal testing.

In the past decade, digital PCR (dPCR), as a new nucleic acid absolute quantification technology, has been widely used in clinical research. dPCR does not rely on the standard curve and has a higher tolerance to inhibitors. Therefore, it is more accurate than quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) for the absolute quantification of target sequences. In this article, we aim to review the application of dPCR in noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT). We focused on the progress of dPCR in screening and identifying fetal chromosome aneuploidies and monogenic mutations. We introduced some common strategies for dPCR in NIPT and analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of different methods. In addition, we compared dPCR with qPCR and next-generation sequencing, respectively, and described their superiority and shortcomings in clinical applications. Finally, we envisaged what the future of dPCR might be in NIPT. Although dPCR can provide reproducible results with improved accuracy due to the digital detection system, it is essential to combine the merits of dPCR and other molecular techniques to achieve more effective and accurate prenatal diagnostic strategies.

Comprehensive landscape of extracellular vesicle-derived RNAs in cancer initiation, progression, metastasis and cancer immunology.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), a class of heterogeneous membrane vesicles, are generally divided into exosomes and microvesicles on basis of their origination from the endosomal membrane or the plasma membrane, respectively. EV-mediated bidirectional communication among various cell types supports cancer cell growth and metastasis. EVs derived from different cell types and status have been shown to have distinct RNA profiles, comprising messenger RNAs and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Recently, ncRNAs have attracted great interests in the field of EV-RNA research, and growing numbers of ncRNAs ranging from microRNAs to long ncRNAs have been investigated to reveal their specific functions and underlying mechanisms in the tumor microenvironment and premetastatic niches. Emerging evidence has indicated that EV-RNAs are essential functional cargoes in modulating hallmarks of cancers and in reciprocal crosstalk within tumor cells and between tumor and stromal cells over short and long distance, thereby regulating the initiation, development and progression of cancers. In this review, we discuss current findings regarding EV biogenesis, release and interaction with target cells as well as EV-RNA sorting, and highlight biological roles and molecular mechanisms of EV-ncRNAs in cancer biology.

A comparative study of three different forecasting methods for trial of labor after cesarean section.

AIM: This study aims to establish a convenient and practical predelivery scoring system for trial of labor after cesarean section (TOLAC). METHODS: The data of 498 patients undergoing TOLAC were retrospectively studied. Indices with statistically significant differences, including cervical score, fetal weight, fetal pelvic index, body mass index and age, were selected. Combined with the presence of vaginal delivery history and indications of the previous cesarean section in these patients, three prenatal forecast scales for vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) were established. The receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn, and the best cut-off point was determined. Then, the areas under the curve of the three forecasting methods were compared. The scoring method with the largest area under the curve was considered the best method. RESULTS: The six indications of cesarean section used for the forecasting scale were as follows: cervical score, fetal weight, body mass index, age, presence of vaginal delivery history and the presence of previous obstructive dystocia. The scale that had the largest area under the curve was considered the best forecasting scale. CONCLUSION: The prenatal forecasting method for TOLAC was preliminarily investigated. It was determined that the scale with six indicators, such as the cervical score, could be used for the prenatal evaluation of TOLAC, providing a predictive basis for the possible success of the trial production for pregnant women. The method and process of VBAC section in our hospital was safe and effective.

Cathepsins mediate tumor metastasis.

Cathepsins are highly expressed in various human cancers, associated with tumor metastasis. It is superfamily, concluding A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, L, K, O, S, V, and W family members. As a group of lysosomal proteinases or endopeptidases, each member has a different function, playing different roles in distinct tumorigenic processes such as proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis, and invasion. Cathepsins belong to a diverse number of enzyme subtypes, including cysteine proteases, serine proteases and aspartic proteases. The contribution of cathepsins to invasion in human cancers is well documented, although the precise mechanisms by which cathepsins exert their effects are still not clear. In the present review, the role of cathepsin family members in cancer is discussed.