Characterizing the pan-cancer role of exosomal miRNAs in metastasis across cancers.

Exosomal microRNAs (exomiRs) play a critical role in intercellular communication, especially in cancer, where they regulate key cellular processes like proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis, highlighting their significance as potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets. Here, we aimed to characterize the role of exomiRs, derived from seven cancer types (four cell lines and three tumors), in influencing the pre-metastatic niche (PMN). In each cancer type we extracted high confidence exomiRs (LogFC >= 2 in exosomes relative to control), their experimentally validated targets, and the enriched pathways among those targets.

Protocol for identifying key genes using network-based approach as an alternative to differential expression analysis.

In a variety of biological contexts, characterizing genes associated with disease etiology and mediating global transcriptomic change is a key initial step. Here, we present a protocol to identify such key genes using our tool "PathExt," a tool that implements a network-based approach. We describe steps for installing libraries, preparing input data and detailed procedures for running PathExt, and characterizing differential pathways and key genes based on ripple centrality scores.

Non-coding genetic variants underlying higher prostate cancer risk in men of African ancestry.

Incidence and severity of prostate cancer (PrCa) substantially varies across ancestries. American men of African ancestry (AA) are more likely to be diagnosed with and die from PrCa than the those of European ancestry (EA). Published polygenic risk scores for developing prostate cancer, even those based on multi-ancestry genome-wide association studies, do not address population-specific genetic mechanisms underlying PrCa risk in men of African ancestry.