Clinica Chimica Acta最新文献

{"title":"Evaluating the use of unconcentrated urine for protein electrophoresis and immunofixation: An alternative approach for efficient analysis.","authors":"Lokinendi.V. Rao ,&nbsp;Salim E. Kabawat","doi":"10.1016/j.cca.2025.120791","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cca.2025.120791","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Protein electrophoresis is a widely used technique for separating and analyzing proteins based on their charge and size. Traditionally, concentrated urine samples have been employed to enhance protein detection sensitivity, but this method can be time-consuming. In contrast, using unconcentrated urine offers a more efficient and resource-friendly alternative for streamlining the analytical process. This study explores the feasibility of using unconcentrated urine as an alternative sample type for protein electrophoresis (UEL) and immunofixation (UIFE).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Both UEL and UIFE were performed on 80 routinely ordered urine specimens (either random or 24-h collections) for patient management. The analyses were carried out on both concentrated (X40) using Sebia gels and unconcentrated (neat) samples using HYDRAGEL 9IF gels with the HYDRAGEL BJ dynamic mask procedure. The electrophoretic patterns obtained from unconcentrated urine were compared with those from concentrated urine. Various electrophoretic parameters, including resolution, sensitivity, and reproducibility, were evaluated to assess the reliability of using unconcentrated urine for protein electrophoresis. Additionally, a retrospective analysis was conducted on all urine specimens ordered before and after the implementation of the new method to identify any differences in monoclonal band distributions within the population.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The protein concentrations showed a strong correlation, with 95–100 % agreement between the two methods and clear separation of protein fractions. Serial dilution studies of monoclonal band analyses demonstrated that these bands could be detected at concentrations of 10–20 mg/L using the unconcentrated method. Furthermore, the retrospective analysis of patient data before and after implementing the new method revealed no differences in the identification or types of monoclonal proteins.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>These results indicate that unconcentrated urine can be successfully used for UEL and UIFE, yielding outcomes comparable to those obtained with traditional concentrated samples. Utilizing unconcentrated urine simplifies the sample preparation process and presents a promising alternative for protein analysis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10205,"journal":{"name":"Clinica Chimica Acta","volume":"582 ","pages":"Article 120791"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145780395","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimized NMDAR autoantibody detection via combined NR1-4a LCBA and NR1/NR2 fusion FCBA","authors":"Baoming He ,&nbsp;Jing Gan ,&nbsp;Junjuan Mao ,&nbsp;Xiao Wang ,&nbsp;Dong Yang ,&nbsp;Tong Peng ,&nbsp;Jianlin Liu ,&nbsp;Xinying Jing ,&nbsp;Li Meng ,&nbsp;Quekun Peng","doi":"10.1016/j.cca.2026.120834","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cca.2026.120834","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is a group of neurological disorders mediated by autoantibodies targeting proteins within the central nervous system, of which anti-<em>N</em>-methyl-<span>d</span>-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis is the most common. The current Cell-Based Assay (CBA) that is primarily used to detect NMDAR antibodies in clinical settings, however, exhibits several limitations, including both false-positive and false-negative results. The aim of this research is to improve the sensitivity and specificity of NMDAR antibody detection through optimization of the CBA detection model.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In this research, recombinant vectors were constructed to express full-length, truncated, and fusion proteins of NMDA Receptor Subunit 1 (NR1) or/and NMDA Receptor Subunit 2B (NR2B). Six distinct models for CBA detection (Model I-Model VI) were established via transfection into CHO cells. A total of 36 serum (SER) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 18 anti-NMDAR patients were analyzed alongside 30 SER and CSF samples from individuals with other neurological disorders and 20 SER samples from healthy controls to systematically evaluate the detection efficacy across each model.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The findings indicate that the Model IV (NR1-4a single subunit) exhibited optimal diagnostic sensitivity(true positive identified) at 100% by live cell-based assay (L-CBA). In contrast, Model V (NR1–1a Amino Terminal Domain (ATD) fused with NR2B ATD) displayed the highest technical sensitivity(titer detection limit) by the fixed cell-based assay (F-CBA), which was significantly superior to the other models (<em>P</em> <em>&lt;</em> 0.05). The combined testing of Models IV and V resulted in a substantial enhancement of the overall performance of the assay. Specifically, the sample diagnostic sensitivity of the SER increased from 83.3% of traditional detection method(Model I) to 100% and the technical sensitivity was improved with highly significant difference to Model I(SER: <em>P</em> <em>&lt;</em> 0.0001; CSF: <em>P</em> <em>&lt;</em> 0.05).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The combined detection established in this research markedly improved both accuracy and reliability in NMDAR antibody detection, effectively addressing the limitations associated with traditional detection methods. This optimized detection provides a robust foundation for early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention in cases of NMDAR encephalitis, thereby enhancing patient prognosis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10205,"journal":{"name":"Clinica Chimica Acta","volume":"582 ","pages":"Article 120834"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145948484","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microfluidic biosensors and devices for brain tumor diagnosis and monitoring","authors":"Omer Qutaiba B. Allela ,&nbsp;Wadhah Hasan Alkhazali ,&nbsp;Vimal Arora ,&nbsp;Pallavi Prahlad ,&nbsp;Biswaranjan Mohanty ,&nbsp;Archana Dhyani ,&nbsp;Shreeya Uppal ,&nbsp;Mansur Aliev ,&nbsp;Hayder Naji Sameer ,&nbsp;Ahmed Yaseen ,&nbsp;Zainab H. Athab ,&nbsp;Mohaned Adil","doi":"10.1016/j.cca.2025.120796","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cca.2025.120796","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Glioblastoma (GBM), a WHO grade IV astrocytoma, is the most common and aggressive primary brain cancer in adults and represents approximately half of all malignant brain tumors across different age groups. Modern treatment approaches, including surgical removal, combined radiochemotherapy, and follow-up chemotherapy, have yet to significantly improve patient prognosis. Patients typically survive only 15 months, with most experiencing quick tumor recurrence and less than 7% surviving beyond five years. Early GBM detection faces significant obstacles due to the vague initial symptoms and constraints of existing diagnostic tools, such as magnetic resonance imaging and invasive tissue sampling. These limitations often result in late-stage diagnosis, reducing treatment effectiveness. While liquid biopsy has emerged as a less invasive alternative allowing repeated sampling and ongoing monitoring, the low concentration of biomarkers in blood presents a significant challenge. Microfluidic technologies offer a revolutionary approach to GBM diagnosis. These biosensors enable precise microscale fluid handling and significantly increase the detection, concentration, and real-time analysis of circulating GBM biomarkers, including exosomes, nucleic acids, and proteins. This technology reduces sample volume requirements and allows quick, sequential disease monitoring, making early detection and personalized patient care more achievable. This review examines cutting-edge developments in microfluidic biosensor technology for brain tumor diagnosis, with a particular focus on GBM. By combining molecular analysis, miniaturized engineering, and liquid biopsy techniques, microfluidic biosensors have become crucial in neuro-oncology diagnostics. This review evaluates current capabilities, addresses technical challenges, and explores future possibilities for implementing microfluidic platforms in clinical settings to improve early intervention and treatment outcomes for patients with malignant brain tumors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10205,"journal":{"name":"Clinica Chimica Acta","volume":"582 ","pages":"Article 120796"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145800479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical evaluation of a sensitive fluorescent PCR assay for trichomonas vaginalis","authors":"Tao Jiang ,&nbsp;Jinbo Yang ,&nbsp;Bo Nie ,&nbsp;Jiaqi Peng ,&nbsp;Limin Zhou ,&nbsp;Hao Wu ,&nbsp;Xianying Chen ,&nbsp;Jie Chen ,&nbsp;Xuan Tang ,&nbsp;Fuqiang Yang ,&nbsp;Huanzi Peng ,&nbsp;Tianzu Zhang ,&nbsp;Bingqing Li ,&nbsp;Jinquan Wang ,&nbsp;Guanghui Sun ,&nbsp;Jianzhong Zhao ,&nbsp;Jianbo Xia ,&nbsp;Xin Du ,&nbsp;Xiaobing Xie","doi":"10.1016/j.cca.2025.120742","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cca.2025.120742","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Trichomoniasis, caused by <em>Trichomonas vaginalis</em> (<em>T. vaginalis</em>), is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD) that primarily affects the genital and urinary tracts. Trichomoniasis has a worldwide distribution and is also widely endemic in China. In recent years, due to the continuous increase in the proportion of recurrent or persistent vaginal trichomoniasis, the related clinical diagnosis and treatments are facing new challenges. Currently, clinical diagnosis relies on clinical features and laboratory tests. Microscopic examination of vaginal secretions is a commonly used diagnostic method in which active <em>T. vaginalis</em> can be observed under a microscope in vaginal secretions. Although microscopic examination has a high specificity, the sensitivity is only 50 %–60 %. Therefore, the development of more sensitive and accurate clinical diagnostic methods are urgently needed for trichomoniasis. In this study, a clinical diagnosis of <em>T. vaginalis</em> infection was conducted at the Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei province, Xiangyang No.1 People's Hospital, The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, and Jingzhou Central Hospital. Different methods—fluorescent PCR (F-PCR), microscopic examination, sequencing and culture—were employed to diagnose <em>T. vaginalis</em>. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), and accuracy of F-PCR are 100 % (98–100 %), 98 % (96 %–99 %), 97 % (93 %–98 %), 100 % (99 %–100 %), 0.00, and 99 % (97 %–100 %), respectively. Compared with traditional methods such as microscopic examination, F-PCR offers superior sensitivity and accuracy. Additionally, F-PCR has a lower probability of false negatives compared with sequencing and culture-based approaches. Compared with methods such as microscopic examination, sequencing, and culture, it significantly reduces the probability of false negatives; and is more sensitive and accurate, making it a powerful diagnostic method for clinical diagnoses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10205,"journal":{"name":"Clinica Chimica Acta","volume":"582 ","pages":"Article 120742"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145630404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Electrochemical biosensors for lactoferrin","authors":"Sajad Alavimanesh ,&nbsp;Asma Vafadar ,&nbsp;Setayesh Jannati ,&nbsp;Salamn M. Abd ,&nbsp;Muyassar Norberdiyeva ,&nbsp;Sajad Ehtiati ,&nbsp;Amir Savardashtaki","doi":"10.1016/j.cca.2025.120788","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cca.2025.120788","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lactoferrin (Lf), a multifunctional glycoprotein, plays a crucial role in immune defense, iron homeostasis, and antimicrobial activity. Given its significance as a biomarker for infections, inflammatory diseases, and cancer, accurate and rapid detection of Lf is essential in clinical diagnostics and food safety. Traditional detection methods, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and liquid chromatography, provide high sensitivity but are often labor-intensive and costly. Electrochemical biosensors have emerged as a promising alternative due to their rapid response time, high sensitivity, portability, and cost-effectiveness. These biosensors leverage advanced electrode materials, including nanomaterials and biomolecular recognition elements, to enhance Lf detection. This review explores the principles, advancements, and challenges in electrochemical biosensors for Lf detection, highlighting their potential for clinical and industrial applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10205,"journal":{"name":"Clinica Chimica Acta","volume":"582 ","pages":"Article 120788"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145773782","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Label-free gold nanostar-based SERS with machine learning: A platform for detecting endometrial cancer-associated polyamine metabolites","authors":"Biqing Chen ,&nbsp;Zengkun Wang ,&nbsp;Jiayin Gao,&nbsp;Haizhu Sun,&nbsp;Yinghan Zhao,&nbsp;Yan Liu,&nbsp;Jianyu Liu,&nbsp;Xiaohong Qiu","doi":"10.1016/j.cca.2025.120811","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cca.2025.120811","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The occurrence and progression of endometrial cancer are closely associated with metabolic reprogramming, in which polyamine metabolites play a critical role in tumor cell proliferation and invasion. In this study, we developed a label free surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection platform based on gold nanostars (AuNS), integrated with machine learning algorithms, to achieve highly sensitive detection and precise identification of polyamine metabolites related to endometrial cancer. In complex biological matrices such as serum, the platform yielded stable and reproducible spectral fingerprints, with a detection limit at the nanogram level. Furthermore, by constructing a polyamine metabolite spectral database and introducing machine learning models, both the classification accuracy and AUC values exceeded 95 %, enabling effective discrimination of different metabolic states and mixed systems. Taken together, the AuNS SERS strategy combined with machine learning provides a rapid, non-invasive, and intelligent detection tool for the early diagnosis and metabolic subtyping of endometrial cancer, with significant clinical application potential.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10205,"journal":{"name":"Clinica Chimica Acta","volume":"582 ","pages":"Article 120811"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145877424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optical nanobiosensing of cardiovascular disease","authors":"Gulrux Davronova ,&nbsp;Nargiza Siradjitdinova ,&nbsp;Kadirova Munira ,&nbsp;Obidjon Khamraev ,&nbsp;Feruza Umarova ,&nbsp;Ibragim Askarov ,&nbsp;Islamova Odila Abduraimovna ,&nbsp;Chay Zoya Sergeyevna ,&nbsp;Gulsum Tagiyeva ,&nbsp;Isokjon Negmatov ,&nbsp;Mamarajab Turobov ,&nbsp;Nafisa Qosimova ,&nbsp;Mashkhura Safarova","doi":"10.1016/j.cca.2025.120800","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cca.2025.120800","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of mortality worldwide, necessitating rapid, sensitive, and noninvasive diagnostic tools for early detection and monitoring. Optical nanobiosensors have emerged as powerful platforms for detecting cardiac biomarkers because of their high sensitivity, specificity, and real-time readout capabilities. By integrating nanomaterials such as gold nanoparticles, quantum dots, and plasmonic structures with optical transduction mechanisms, including fluorescence, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), these biosensors enable ultralow detection limits and multiplexed analysis. Recent advances have demonstrated their potential in point-of-care testing, offering portable, cost-effective solutions for clinical diagnostics. This review highlights the principles, recent developments, and clinical relevance of optical nanobiosensing technologies in CVD diagnostics while discussing current challenges and future directions toward scalable, robust, and regulatory-approved platforms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10205,"journal":{"name":"Clinica Chimica Acta","volume":"582 ","pages":"Article 120800"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145803357","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Increased KIR + CD8+ T cell frequency with impaired cytotoxic potential in systemic lupus erythematosus","authors":"Yun Wang ,&nbsp;Xiaofang Bai ,&nbsp;Ting Wang ,&nbsp;Wei Wei,&nbsp;Rujia Chen,&nbsp;Renren Ouyang,&nbsp;Feng Wang,&nbsp;Hongyan Hou,&nbsp;Shiji Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.cca.2025.120792","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cca.2025.120792","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease that causes severe immune dysfunctions. Recent insights have identified CD8+ T cells expressing inhibitory killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) as potentially playing a significant role in immune regulation in autoimmune diseases. This study aimed to investigate the role of KIR+CD8+ regulatory T cells in SLE.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A cross-sectional analysis encompassed 53 individuals with SLE and 42 healthy controls (HC). Analyze lymphocyte subsets and activation effector phenotypes by flow cytometry; assess cytokine secretion and cytotoxic functions of KIR+CD8 + T cells, as well as perform differential gene expression analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>SLE patients exhibit distinct immunological characteristics, with a significant reduction in lymphocyte absolute counts, alongside a marked increase in the proportions of effector CD4 + T cells, plasmablast, and CD8 + CD28-T cells, yet the levels of regulatory T cells (Treg cells) show no difference compared to those in HC. CD8 + T cells highly express KIRs in SLE, and there is a negative correlation between the levels of CD158e + CD8 + T cells and disease activity. Furthermore, in SLE patients, KIR+CD8 + T cells exhibit elevated PD-1 expression, coupled with a diminished capacity for cytokine secretion, notably gamma-interferon (IFN-γ). These cells demonstrate impaired cytotoxic potential, with downregulation of cytotoxicity-related genes and reduced expression of cytotoxic protein such as perforin.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>KIR+CD8+ T cells, as an essential component of immune regulation, are significantly elevated in SLE, but their perforin expression is reduced, suggesting that its cytotoxic potential may be impaired, leading to impaired immune regulatory functions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10205,"journal":{"name":"Clinica Chimica Acta","volume":"582 ","pages":"Article 120792"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145793207","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ovarian cancer detection and prognosis: Unveiling circRNAs potential","authors":"Mehran Molavand ,&nbsp;Amir Valizadeh ,&nbsp;Bahman Yousefi ,&nbsp;Maryam Majidinia","doi":"10.1016/j.cca.2025.120793","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cca.2025.120793","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ovarian cancer remains one of the most aggressive and fatal gynecologic malignancies, primarily due to its asymptomatic onset, early metastatic potential, frequent resistance to conventional therapies, and the absence of effective tools for early detection and prognostic assessment. As a result, sensitive, specific and minimally invasive biomarkers are urgently needed to enable earlier detection, more accurate prediction of clinical outcomes and ongoing monitoring of therapeutic response. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are endogenous RNA molecules formed by covalent backsplice junctions that render them highly resistant to exonuclease degradation. Many circRNAs serve as competitive endogenous RNAs that sequester microRNAs. This sequestration modulates key oncogenic signaling cascades, ultimately regulating cellular proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. Their exceptional stability, measurable abundance in body fluids and distinctive dysregulation in pathological states highlight their potential as both diagnostic and prognostic indicators. In fact, biomarker panels based on circRNA expression have achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.923 for ovarian cancer detection. Individually, specific circRNAs have been shown to correlate with overall survival, histologic grade, tumor burden and other clinicopathologic features. In this review, by surveying all relevant data in major databases without language restrictions, we comprehensively update and analyze the latest molecular and clinical findings on the diagnostic and prognostic value of circRNAs in patients with ovarian cancer.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10205,"journal":{"name":"Clinica Chimica Acta","volume":"582 ","pages":"Article 120793"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145780380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Circular RNAs as biomarkers and targets in ovarian cancer","authors":"Omji porwal ,&nbsp;Sharad Visht ,&nbsp;Rozhan Arif Muhammed","doi":"10.1016/j.cca.2025.120802","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cca.2025.120802","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Current laboratory diagnostic tools for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) primarily rely on cancer antigen 125 (CA125) and human epididymis protein 4 (HE4). However, their effectiveness is suboptimal for early disease diagnosis and triage of adnexal masses. The evidence reviewed on the topic of tissue and circulating circular RNAs (circRNAs) as diagnostic, prognostic, and treatment-response biomarkers in EOC and what is needed to implement circRNA assays in clinical laboratory practice are summarized herein. Several circRNAs identified in plasma/serum (such as circBNC2, hsacirc0003972, hsacirc0007288, and circN4BP2L2) have diagnostic potential (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] between the typical range of 0.79–0.95) and can be used to enhance multimarker algorithms with CA125 and HE4. In addition to biomarker performance, we are interested in laboratory medicine challenges that can define clinical usability, such as Minimum Information for Publication of Quantitative Real-Time PCR Experiments (MIQE)-compatible assay design to detect back-splice junction, specimen-specific pre-analytical variables (e.g., hemolysis, clotting time, and exosome isolation workflows), normalization strategies of liquid biopsy, analytical validation, reference intervals/decision limits, and external quality assessment. Although published accuracies are encouraging, the majority of studies have small cohorts and lack external validation, and preanalytical handling and reporting heterogeneity are significant. Thus, strong standardization and regulatory level validation are necessary for circRNA testing to be established as a routine EOC diagnosis, risk stratification, or treatment monitoring tool.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10205,"journal":{"name":"Clinica Chimica Acta","volume":"582 ","pages":"Article 120802"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145827124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}