Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39915608›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2025

Exploring the influence of pre-analytical variables on gene expression measurements and relative expression orderings in cancer research.

Tian Tian, Guie Lai, Ming He, Xiaofang Liu, Yun Luo, You Guo, Guini Hong, Hongdong Li, Kai Song, Hao Cai

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Tian TianMedical Big Data and Bioinformatics Research Centre, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China.
Guie LaiBreast Disease Comprehesive Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China.
Ming HeMedical Big Data and Bioinformatics Research Centre, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China.
Xiaofang LiuMedical Big Data and Bioinformatics Research Centre, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China.
Yun LuoMedical Big Data and Bioinformatics Research Centre, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China.
You GuoMedical Big Data and Bioinformatics Research Centre, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China.
Guini HongSchool of Medical Information Engineering, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China.
Hongdong LiSchool of Medical Information Engineering, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China.
Kai SongSchool of Medical Information Engineering, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China. songkai_hmu@hotmail.com.
Hao CaiMedical Big Data and Bioinformatics Research Centre, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China. caihao093@163.com.

Funding

Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province 2021A1515110238Key R&D Program of Jiangxi Province 20203BBGL73202National Natural Science Foundation of China 81903186Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province 20224BAB206074
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Gene expression profiling is an effective method for identifying predictive and prognostic biomarkers. However, measurements are prone to uncertainty and errors due to various pre-analytical variables. Systematic evaluating effects of these variables on gene expression measurements and relative expression orderings (REOs) of gene pairs, is necessary. A total of 18 datasets were collected, comprising over 800 paired samples. These paired samples were utilized to assess the impact of pre-analytical variables on gene expression measurements and REOs, including sampling methods, tumor sample heterogeneity, fixed time delays, preservation conditions, degradation levels, library preparation kits, amplification kits, RNA quantity, measuring platforms, and laboratory sites at single and multi-variable level. Low-quality samples served as the case group, while paired high-quality samples constituted the control group. In both single and multiple variable analyses, comparing each case sample to paired control sample revealed thousands of genes exhibited a twofold change in expression values. In contrast, on average, 82% and 76% of gene pairs keep consistent REO pattern between paired samples in single-variable and multi-variable analyses, respectively. Notably, the rate steadily increased after excluding gene pairs with the closest expression levels. Statistical analyses shown a higher proportion of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) than that of reversed gene pairs between case and control groups in both single-variable and multi-variable analyses. Furthermore, the proportion of reversal gene pairs among all gene pairs involving DEGs remained below 20% in the majority of comparisons. Our research demonstrates that REOs exhibit higher robustness under the influence of pre-analytical variables. These findings indicate the potential of the REOs-based approach in transcriptomics research and its applicability for biomarker studies.

Indexed as

Gene Expression ProfilingGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticNeoplasmsBiomarkers, TumorHumansTranscriptomeBiomarkers, TumorBiomarkerGene expressionMeasurement variationPre-analytical variablesRelative expression orderingsRobustness

Identifiers

PMID39915608
PMCPMC11802807

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.