The present study evaluated the prognostic role of circulating miRNA-618 in patients with metastatic colon cancer (mCC) and whether miR-618 gene rs2682818 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) are associated with colon cancer susceptibility and expression levels of mature miR-618. In total, 104 patients with mCC before starting the chemotherapy were investigated. The expression status of circulating miR-618 in mCC was evaluated by quantitative PCR. TaqMan PCR assay was used for rs2682818 SNP genotyping. miR-618 was overexpressed in serum of mCC patients. Patients with high and intermediate expression of miR-618 had a significantly longer mean overall survival (OS) of 21 months than patients with low expression—16 months. In addition, multivariate Cox regression analysis confirmed the association between high/intermediate levels of miRNA-618 and longer OS, HR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.30–0.86, p = 0.012. miR-618 rs2682818 SNP significantly decreased the risk of colon cancer susceptibility in both heterozygous codominant (AC vs. CC, OR = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.17–0.88, p = 0.024) and overdominant (AC vs. CC + AA, OR = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.16–0.85, p = 0.018) genetic models. Our data suggest that circulating miRNA-618 could be useful as a prognostic biomarker in mCC. Patients harboring AC rs2682818 genotype have a decreased risk for colon cancer in comparison with patients with CC and AA genotypes.

There is growing interest in single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genes of microRNAs (miRNAs), which could be associated with susceptibility to colorectal cancer (CRC) and therefore for prognosis of the disease and/or treatment response. Moreover, these miRNAs-SNPs could serve as new, low-invasive biomarkers for early detection of CRC. In the present article, we performed a thorough review of different SNPs, which were investigated for a correlation with the CRC risk, prognosis, and treatment response. We also analyzed the results from different meta-analyses and the possible reasons for reported contradictory findings, especially when different research groups investigated the same SNP in a gene for a particular miRNA. This illustrates the need for more case-control studies involving participants with different ethnic backgrounds. According to our review, three miRNAs-SNPs—miR-146a rs2910164, miR-27a rs895819 and miR-608 rs4919510—appear as promising prognostic, diagnostic and predictive biomarkers for CRC, respectively.

Autoantibodies against the complement component C1q (anti-C1q) are among the main biomarkers in lupus nephritis (LN) known to contribute to renal injury. C1q, the recognition subcomponent of the complement classical pathway, forms a heterotetrameric complex with C1r and C1s, and can also associate a central complement regulator and C1 Inhibitor (C1-Inh). However, the frequency and the pathogenic relevance of anti-C1r, anti-C1s and anti-C1-Inh autoantibodies remain poorly studied in LN. In this paper, we screened for anti-C1q, anti-C1r, anti-C1s and anti-C1-Inh autoantibodies and evaluated their association with disease activity and severity in 74 LN patients followed up for 5 years with a total of 266 plasma samples collected. The presence of anti-C1q, anti-C1r, anti-C1s and anti-C1-Inh was assessed by ELISA. IgG was purified by Protein G from antigen-positive plasma and their binding to purified C1q, C1r and C1s was examined by surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The abilities of anti-C1q, anti-C1r and anti-C1s binding IgG on C1 complex formation were analyzed by ELISA. The screening of LN patients’ plasma revealed 14.9% anti-C1q positivity; only 4.2%, 6.9% and 0% were found to be positive for anti-C1r, anti-C1s and anti-C1-Inh, respectively. Significant correlations were found between anti-C1q and anti-dsDNA, and anti-nuclear antibodies, C3 and C4, respectively. High levels of anti-C1q antibodies were significantly associated with renal histologic lesions and correlated with histological activity index. Patients with the most severe disease (A class according to BILAG Renal score) had higher levels of anti-C1q antibodies. Anti-C1r and anti-C1s antibodies did not correlate with the clinical characteristics of the LN patients, did not interfere with the C1 complex formation, and were not measurable via SPR. In conclusion, the presence of anti-C1q, but not anti-C1s or anti-C1r, autoantibodies contribute to the autoimmune pathology and the severity of LN.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a group of special endogenous long non-coding RNAs which are highly stable in the circulation, and, thus, more suitable as new biomarkers of colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of our study was to explore the plasma expression levels of four circRNAs: has_circ_0001445, hsa_circ_0003028, hsa_circ_0007915 and hsa_circ_0008717 in patients with CRC and to evaluate their associations with clinicopathological characteristics and the clinical outcome of the patients. CircRNAs were extracted from patients’ plasma obtained prior to chemotherapy. Their expression levels were measured by qPCR and calculated applying the 2^−ΔΔCt method. The levels of all four circRNAs were significantly increased in the plasma of CRC patients. At the optimal cut-off values hsa_circ_0001445 and hsa_circ_0007915 in plasma could significantly distinguish between patients with or without metastatic CRC with 92.56% sensitivity and 42.86% specificity, and with 86.07% sensitivity and 57.14% specificity, respectively. The mean overall survival (OS) of patients with high/intermediate expression of hsa_circ_0001445 was 30 months, significantly higher in comparison with the mean OS of the patients with low expression—20 months (log-rank test, p = 0.034). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, the low levels of hsa_circ_0001445 were also associated with shorter survival (HR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.02–2.47, p = 0.040). A prognostic significance of hsa_circ_0001445 for patients with metastatic CRC was established.

Dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) and sclerostin are essential Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitors, playing an important role in multiple myeloma bone disease (MBD). We aimed to examine the serum DKK-1 and sclerostin variations in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients at diagnosis and in the course of therapy, including autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). This study included 41 NDMM-patients and 33 controls. MBD was assessed by whole-body low-dose computed tomography. DKK-1 and sclerostin were assayed by commercial ELISA kits. At diagnosis, NDMM-patients revealed significantly higher DKK-1 and sclerostin values (p < 0.0001), showing dependence on disease stage (lowest in ISS-I and highest in ISS-III: p < 0.0012 and p < 0.025, respectively, for both proteins). Bone lesions revealed significant positive correlation with both DKK-1 (p < 0.05) and sclerostin (p < 0.0001). In the course of therapy, significant reduction, more prominent after ASCT, was observed for both parameters in each treatment point compared to the baseline (p < 0.0001). Markedly lower sclerostin (p < 0.01) and DKK-1 (p < 0.05) values were observed in patients with complete and very good partial response compared to those with partial response, stable, or progressive disease. Sclerostin and DKK-1 in NDMM patients reflect the MBD severity and the effect of therapy. Both proteins could represent a novel tool for better disease monitoring and effectiveness of therapy.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is ranked as the second most commonly diagnosed disease in females and the third in males worldwide. Therefore, the finding of new more reliable biomarkers for early diagnosis, for prediction of metastasis, and resistance to conventional therapies is an important challenge in overcoming the disease. The current review presents circular RNAs (circRNAs) with their unique features as potential prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers in CRC. The review highlights the mechanism of action and the role of circRNAs with oncogenic functions in the CRC as well as the association between their expression and clinicopathological characteristics of CRC patients. The comprehension of the role of oncogenic circRNAs in CRC pathogenesis is growing rapidly and the next step is using them as suitable new drug targets in the personalized treatment of CRC patients.