Publications by authors named "Conor Loy"
Article Synopsis
- MicroRNAs, specifically miR-379-5p, have a crucial role in cancer by regulating gene expression, potentially suppressing or promoting tumor growth.
- The study identifies the UBE2E3 gene as a target of miR-379-5p, whose expression is downregulated in various cancers, including breast and bladder cancer.
- Experimental results confirmed that miR-379-5p directly suppresses UBE2E3 expression, leading to decreased cell viability and increased apoptotic rates, suggesting its significant role in cancer development.
Plasma cell-free RNA signatures of inflammatory syndromes in children.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
September 2024
Inflammatory syndromes, including those caused by infection, are a major cause of hospital admissions among children and are often misdiagnosed because of a lack of advanced molecular diagnostic tools. In this study, we explored the utility of circulating cell-free RNA (cfRNA) in plasma as an analyte for the differential diagnosis and characterization of pediatric inflammatory syndromes. We profiled cfRNA in 370 plasma samples from pediatric patients with a range of inflammatory conditions, including Kawasaki disease (KD), multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), viral infections, and bacterial infections.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIt is now widely recognised that the environment in space activates a diverse set of genes involved in regulating fundamental cellular pathways. This includes the activation of genes associated with blood homoeostasis and erythropoiesis, with a particular emphasis on those involved in globin chain production. Haemoglobin biology provides an intriguing model for studying space omics, as it has been extensively explored at multiple -omic levels, spanning DNA, RNA, and protein analyses, in both experimental and clinical contexts.
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- Spaceflight triggers an immune response in astronauts, which was analyzed during the SpaceX Inspiration4 mission using various data types, including single-cell and biochemical analysis.
- Researchers identified a "spaceflight signature" in gene expression linked to processes like oxidative phosphorylation, immune function, and inflammation, found across multiple datasets.
- Key findings include up-regulation of specific immune markers in T cells, long-term suppression of certain MHC class I genes, and changes in infection-related immune pathways due to shifts in the microbiome.
Spaceflight induces molecular, cellular and physiological shifts in astronauts and poses myriad biomedical challenges to the human body, which are becoming increasingly relevant as more humans venture into space. Yet current frameworks for aerospace medicine are nascent and lag far behind advancements in precision medicine on Earth, underscoring the need for rapid development of space medicine databases, tools and protocols. Here we present the Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA), an integrated data and sample repository for clinical, cellular and multi-omic research profiles from a diverse range of missions, including the NASA Twins Study, JAXA CFE study, SpaceX Inspiration4 crew, Axiom and Polaris.
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- * Researchers explored the use of plasma cell-free RNA (cfRNA) as a biomarker for TB through RNA sequencing and machine learning, examining data from cohorts in Uganda, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
- * They identified a 6-gene cfRNA signature that accurately distinguishes TB-positive from TB-negative individuals, achieving impressive sensitivity and specificity, making it a potential viable diagnostic tool that meets World Health Organization standards.
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) is one of the oldest and most successful immunotherapies. Yet, despite long-standing success in the use of HSCT for the treatment of blood cancers and severe immune disorders, monitoring post-transplant complications remains a challenge due to a lack of informative diagnostic tests. Here, we investigate the utility of cell-free RNA (cfRNA) in plasma as a liquid biopsy to monitor allogeneic HSCT recipients during and after treatment.
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- The Inspiration4 mission was the first all-civilian orbital flight that explored how short-duration spaceflight affects human physiology, using a multi-omic approach to study various challenges like microgravity, immune response, and radiation exposure.
- Researchers collected dried blood samples before, during, and after the flight to analyze DNA and telomere lengths, track genomic stability, and monitor immune adaptations using advanced bioinformatics.
- Findings revealed that while telomeres lengthened during the flight and then shortened after return, there were notable changes in immune cell gene expression that persisted for months, providing important insights for future space missions and astronaut health.
Article Synopsis
- Inflammatory syndromes in children often lead to hospital admissions and are frequently misdiagnosed due to the lack of advanced diagnostic tools.
- The study analyzed circulating cell-free RNA (cfRNA) in plasma from 370 pediatric patients to differentiate between inflammatory conditions like Kawasaki disease (KD) and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C).
- Machine learning models based on cfRNA profiles successfully distinguished KD from MIS-C with high accuracy and also classified other conditions, while quantifying tissue injury in affected organs.
This review delves into the rapidly evolving landscape of liquid biopsy technologies based on cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and cell-free RNA (cfRNA) and their increasingly prominent role in precision medicine. With the advent of high-throughput DNA sequencing, the use of cfDNA and cfRNA has revolutionized noninvasive clinical testing. Here, we explore the physical characteristics of cfDNA and cfRNA, present an overview of the essential engineering tools used by the field, and highlight clinical applications, including noninvasive prenatal testing, cancer testing, organ transplantation surveillance, and infectious disease testing.
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- - The study examines the different immune responses and tissue damage in pediatric patients with COVID-19 and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) using next-generation sequencing on blood samples from three hospitals.
- - Analysis of plasma and whole-blood RNA reveals unique patterns of cell injury, with MIS-C showing greater organ involvement and specific gene expression changes compared to COVID-19.
- - Findings highlight that while both diseases exhibit similar inflammatory pathways, MIS-C shows distinct downregulation of T cell-related pathways, providing insights for developing new biomarkers for these conditions.
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading cause of death from an infectious disease worldwide. This is partly due to a lack of tools to effectively screen and triage individuals with potential TB. Whole blood RNA signatures have been extensively studied as potential biomarkers for TB, but they have failed to meet the World Health Organization's (WHOs) target product profiles (TPPs) for a non-sputum triage or diagnostic test.
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