OncoTargets and Therapy (May 2021)

Platelets: The Emerging Clinical Diagnostics and Therapy Selection of Cancer Liquid Biopsies

  • Meng Y,
  • Sun J,
  • Zheng Y,
  • Zhang G,
  • Yu T,
  • Piao H

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 14
pp. 3417 – 3428

Abstract

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Yiming Meng,1 Jing Sun,2 Yang Zheng,3 Guirong Zhang,1 Tao Yu,4 Haozhe Piao1,5 1Department of Central Laboratory, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning province Cancer Hospital, Shenyang, 110042, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Biobank, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Province Cancer Hospital, Shenyang, 110042, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Clinical Laboratory, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Province Cancer Hospital, Shenyang, 110042, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Medical Imaging, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Province Cancer Hospital, Shenyang, 110042, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Neurosurgery, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Province Cancer Hospital, Shenyang, 110042, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Tao YuDepartment of Medical Imaging, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Province Cancer Hospital, No. 44, Xiaoheyan Road, Dadong District, Shenyang, 110042, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-18041394586Fax +86-24-31916472Email [email protected] PiaoDepartment of Central Laboratory Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Province Cancer Hospital, No. 44, Xiaoheyan Road, Dadong District, Shenyang, 110042, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-13166765053Fax +86-24-31916472Email [email protected]: Due to the inherent molecular heterogeneity of metastatic tumours and the dynamic evolution ability of tumour genomes, tumour tissues obtained through biopsy and other methods cannot capture all of the features of tumour genomes. A new diagnostic concept called “liquid biopsy” has received widespread attention in recent years. Liquid biopsy has changed the clinical practice of oncology and is widely used to guide targeted drug utilization, monitor disease progression and track drug resistance. The latest research subject in liquid biopsy is platelets. Platelets originate from multifunctional haematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow haematopoietic system. They are small cells from the cytoplasm of bone marrow megakaryocytes. Their main physiological functions are to participate in the processes of physiological haemostasis and coagulation. Tumour cells transfer biomolecules (such as RNA) to platelets through direct contact and release of exosomes, which changes the platelet precursor RNA. Under the stimulation of tumour cells and the tumour microenvironment, platelet precursor mRNA is spliced into mature RNA and converted into functional protein to respond to external stimuli, forming tumour-educated platelets (TEPs). The detection of TEPs in the peripheral blood of patients is expected to be used in clinical tumour diagnosis. This emerging liquid biopsy method can replace and supplement the current tumour detection methods. Further research on the role of platelets in tumour diagnosis will help provide a novel theoretical basis for clinical tumour diagnosis.Keywords: liquid biopsy, platelet, diagnosis, RNA, noninvasive

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