Circulating MicroRNAs as Non‐Invasive Biomarkers

Advanced microRNA-based cancer diagnostics using amplified time-gated FRET

“…The importance of miRNAs in biological regulation, cell function, and the development and progression of cancer and other diseases 3 , 7 , 9 , 12 , 13 in combination with challenging biological and analytical conditions 4 , 5 , 16 have led to the emergence of many miRNA detection technologies, all with specific advantages and drawbacks. 1 , 39 – 46 Highly important requirements for a new technology to become a useful complementary miRNA detection method and to advance miRNA-based diagnostics and translational research are not only sensitivity and specificity but also the capability to be applicable to different types of clinical samples and to obtain useful clinical information from those samples.…”

Rapid and Multiplexed MicroRNA Diagnostic Assay Using Quantum Dot-Based Förster Resonance Energy Transfer

“…[3][4][5][6] As peripheral blood contains many different nucleic acids, a sensitive detection of circulating miRNA in plasma or serum could provide easily accessible genetic information and serve as next generation biomarker. [7][8][9][10][11][12] The importance of miRNA has led to the development of many different detection technologies, 13, 14 among which quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), microarrays, nanostring technology, and small RNA sequencing are probably the most established strategies. 15 Although these methods can provide important advantages such as high sensitivity, high selectivity, or high throughput, a miRNA detection strategy that is ideally suited for clinical diagnostics does not exist to date.…”

“…To date, more than 30 000 microRNAs (miRNAs) have been discovered, of which more than 2500 can be found in humans. , Most of them are involved in tissue-specific gene expression control by acting as post-transcriptional repressors through binding to 3′-untranslated regions of target mRNA. Physiological homeostasis of cells and tissues is maintained by complex regulation, and therefore miRNA dysregulation can lead to diseases such as cancer or cardiovascular diseases. − As peripheral blood contains many different nucleic acids, a sensitive detection of circulating miRNA in plasma or serum could provide easily accessible genetic information and serve as next generation biomarker. − The importance of miRNA has led to the development of many different detection technologies, , among which quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), microarrays, nanostring technology, and small RNA sequencing are probably the most established strategies . Although these methods can provide important advantages such as high sensitivity, high selectivity, or high throughput, a miRNA detection strategy that is ideally suited for clinical diagnostics does not exist to date.…”

The circulating transcriptome as a source of non‐invasive cancer biomarkers: concepts and controversies of non‐coding and coding RNA in body fluids

“…Some of the major findings in this field are described below and listed in Table 1 . In addition to cancer, circulating miRNAs also have great potential as biomarkers for many other diseases or medical conditions, including cardiac injury, autoimmune diseases, diabetes and toxicity, as well as their use in prenatal screening (reviewed elsewhere 23 ).…”