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- Posted Monday March 21, 2016
Beyond DNA: TGen points the way to enhanced precision medicine with RNA sequencing
Deeper genetic analysis with RNA sequencing provides better diagnostics and treatments for patients with everything from cancer to deadly viruses
PHOENIX, Ariz. - March 21, 2016 - Uncovering
the genetic makeup of patients using DNA sequencing has in recent
years provided physicians and their patients with a greater
understanding of how best to diagnose and treat the diseases that
plague humanity. This is the essence of precision medicine.
Now, researchers at theTranslational
Genomics Research Institute (TGen) are showing how an even more
detailed genetic analysis using RNA sequencing can vastly enhance
that understanding, providing doctors and their patients with more
precise tools to target the underlying causes of disease, and help
recommend the best course of action.
In their review, published today in the journal Nature Reviews
Genetics, TGen scientists highlight the many advantages of
using RNA-sequencing in the detection and management of everything
from cancer to infectious diseases, such as Ebola and the rapidly
spreading Zika virus.
RNA's principal role is to act as a messenger carrying
instructions from DNA for the synthesis of proteins. Building on
the insights provided by DNA profiling, the analysis of RNA
provides an even more precise look at how cells behave and how
medicine can intervene when things go wrong.
"RNA is a dynamic and diverse biomolecule with an essential role
in numerous biological processes," said Dr. Sara Byron, Research
Assistant Professor in TGen's Center for Translational Innovation,
and the review's lead author. "From a molecular diagnostic
standpoint, RNA-based measurements have the potential for broad
application across diverse areas of human health, including disease
diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic selection."
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) sequencing spells out -in order- the
billions of chemical letters that make up the genes that drive all
of our biologic make up and functions, from hair and eye color to
whether an individual may be predisposed to cancer or other
diseases.
RNA (ribonucleic acid) sequencing provides information on the
genes that are actively being made into RNA in a cell and are
important for cell function. While more complex, RNA holds the
promise of more precise measurement of the human physical
condition.
There simply are more forms, or species, that RNA takes, explains
Dr. Byron. "RNA-sequencing provides an deeper view of a patient's
genome, revealing detailed information on the diverse spectrum of
RNAs being expressed."
One of the most promising aspects of RNA-based measurements is the
potential of using extracellular RNA (exRNAs) as a non-invasive
diagnostic indicator of disease. Monitoring exRNA simply takes a
blood sample, as opposed to doing a tumor biopsy, which essentially
is a minor surgery with greater risks and costs.
"The investigation of exRNAs in biofluids to monitor disease is an
area of diagnostic research that is growing rapidly," said Dr.
Kendall Van Keuren-Jensen, TGen Associate Professor of
Neurogenomics, Co-Director of TGen's Center for Noninvasive
Diagnostics, and one of the review's authors. "Measurement of exRNA
is appealing as a non-invasive method for monitoring disease. With
increased access to biofluids, more frequent sampling can occur
over time."
The first test measuring exRNA was released earlier this year, the
review said, for use measuring specific exRNAs in lung cancer
patients. And, the potential for using RNA-seq in cancer is
expanding rapidly. Commercial RNA-seq tests are now available, and
provide the opportunity for clinicians to more comprehensively
profile cancer and use this information to guide treatment
selection for their patients, the review said.
In addition, the authors reported on several recent applications
for RNA-seq in the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases,
such as monitoring for drug resistant populations during therapy
and tracking the origin and spread of the Ebola virus.
Using examples from discovery and clinical research, the authors
also describe how RNA-seq can help guide interpretation of genomic
DNA sequencing results. The utility of integrative sequencing
strategies in research studies is growing across broad health
applications, and points to the promise for incorporation of
RNA-seq into clinical medicine, the review said.
The paper, Translating RNA-sequencing into Clinical
Diagnostics: Opportunities and Challenges, was published
online today in the journal Nature Reviews Genetics.
This review was funded by The Ben & Catherine Ivy Foundation
of Scottsdale, the National Center for Advancing Translational
Sciences, and a Stand Up To Cancer-Melanoma Research Alliance
Melanoma Dream Team Translational Cancer Research Grant.
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About TGen
Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix,
Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting
groundbreaking research with life changing results. TGen is focused
on helping patients with neurological disorders, cancer, and
diabetes, through cutting edge translational research (the process
of rapidly moving research towards patient benefit). TGen
physicians and scientists work to unravel the genetic components of
both common and rare complex diseases in adults and children.
Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical
communities literally worldwide, TGen makes a substantial
contribution to help our patients through efficiency and
effectiveness of the translational process. For more information,
visit:www.tgen.org. Follow TGen onFacebook,LinkedInandTwitter @TGen.
Press Contacts:
Steve Yozwiak
TGen Senior Science Writer
602-343-8704
[email protected]