Rūta Steponaitienė

Dr. Rūta Steponaitienė


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

2Years (2025-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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15 March 2025 in Medicina
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
MMMantas Malinauskas
Mantas Malinauskas
DPDeimante Paskeviciene
Deimante Paskeviciene
RSRūta Steponaitienė
Rūta Steponaitienė
RGRita Gudaityte
Rita Gudaityte
Limas KupcinskasLimas Kupcinskas
Limas Kupcinskas
AMAlmantas Maleckas
Almantas Maleckas
Background and Objectives: Neuropeptide Y (NPY) family peptides and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) are involved in gastrointestinal regulation and may contribute to obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) pathophysiology. This study investigates their expression in jejunal muscular tissue and associations with gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with obesity, with (OB+/DM+) and without T2DM (OB+/DM−). Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study includes forty-four patients undergoing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass divided based on T2DM status. Gastrointestinal symptoms were assessed using the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) questionnaire, and jejunal tissue samples were analyzed for DPP-4, NPY, peptide YY (PYY), and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) mRNA and protein levels. Results: DPP-4, NPY, PYY, and PP gene expression in jejunal muscular tissue was similar between groups. In the OB+/DM+ group, PP protein was higher, while DPP-4 and PYY were lower compared to the OB+/DM− group. Significant positive correlations between DPP-4 and NPY, PYY, and PP were found in the OB+/DM− group, while only DPP-4 and PYY correlated in the OB+/DM+ group. Gastrointestinal symptoms in the OB+/DM− group showed positive correlations with PP (abdominal pain), DPP-4 (indigestion), and NPY (constipation). Conclusions: The study demonstrates significant differences in DPP-4, PYY, and PP protein expression between patients with obesity, with or without T2DM. Peptide correlations with gastrointestinal symptoms in non-diabetic patients suggest distinct regulatory mechanisms, warranting further research.

Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
DVDeimante Valentelyte
Deimante Valentelyte
RLRokas Lukosevicius
Rokas Lukosevicius
RSRūta Steponaitienė
Rūta Steponaitienė
VSVioleta Salteniene
Violeta Salteniene
EMEgidijus Morkunas
Egidijus Morkunas
JSJurgita Skieceviciene
Jurgita Skieceviciene
Colorectal cancer (CRC) encompasses biologically diverse cellular phenotypes with distinct microRNA (miRNA) expression patterns. Assessing whether cell-model-derived alterations recur in extracellular vesicles (EVs) and human tumors may help prioritize candidates with broader relevance to CRC. We performed small RNA sequencing of non-malignant HCoEpiC cells, differentiated enterocyte-like Caco-2 cells, less differentiated HCT116 cells, and their corresponding EVs. miRNAs showing concordant dysregulation in both CRC cell lines relative to HCoEpiC, with greater absolute log2 fold changes in HCT116, were prioritized and evaluated in human colorectal tissues and TCGA-COAD/READ. Seven of 29 prioritized cellular miRNAs met the EV selection criteria. Of the 26 candidates measurable in the patient-tissue dataset, eight showed FDR-significant, directionally concordant differences between CRC and healthy colorectal tissues, including five concordantly dysregulated across cells, EVs, and patient tissues. Analysis of 11 matched TCGA tumor–non-tumor pairs reproduced reduced miR-30a-3p, miR-30c-2-3p, and miR-1271-5p and increased miR-140-5p expression. Target-based enrichment and exploratory miRNA-mRNA correlation analyses identified associations with CRC-relevant signaling and MYC-related, cell-cycle, DNA-repair, and metabolic programs. No significant associations with the evaluated clinicopathological features or overall survival were detected. Collectively, these findings identify a reproducible subset of CRC-associated miRNA alterations and highlight reduced miR-30a-3p and miR-30c-2-3p expression as a recurrent family-level pattern warranting mechanistic investigation.