Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40287690›Full record

ArticleCancer cell international2025

Characterization and comparative profiling of piRNAs in serum biopsies of pediatric Wilms tumor patients.

Fatma S Mohamed, Deena Jalal, Youssef M Fadel, Samir F El-Mashtoly, Wael Z Khaled, Ahmed A Sayed, Mohamed A Ghazy

Abstract read
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Article in Cancer cell international, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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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

7 authors.

Fatma S MohamedBiotechnology Program, Institute of Basic and Applied Science Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology, New Borg El-Arab City, Alexandria, Egypt.
Deena JalalGenomics and Metagenomics Program, Department of Basic Research, Children's Cancer Hospital Egypt, Cairo, 57357, Egypt.
Youssef M FadelGenomics and Metagenomics Program, Department of Basic Research, Children's Cancer Hospital Egypt, Cairo, 57357, Egypt.
Samir F El-MashtolyLeibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Albert Einstein-Straße 9, 07745, Jena, Germany.
Wael Z KhaledDepartment of Pediatric Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Cairo, Egypt.
Ahmed A SayedGenomics and Metagenomics Program, Department of Basic Research, Children's Cancer Hospital Egypt, Cairo, 57357, Egypt. ahmad.sayed@57357.org.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4044-4709
Mohamed A GhazyBiotechnology Program, Institute of Basic and Applied Science Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology, New Borg El-Arab City, Alexandria, Egypt.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs involved in transposon silencing and linked to cancer progression. However, their role in Wilms tumors (WT) remains unexplored. We conducted a thorough analysis and characterization of piRNAs in serum liquid biopsies of WT patients. Our study examined their expression patterns and functional annotations related to WT pathogenesis, as well as their clinical potential for diagnosis and monitoring. We identified 307 piRNAs expressed in WT serum samples, with 4% classified as repeat-related and 96% as non-repeat-related. The most abundant repeat-related piRNAs originated from LINEs retrotransposon, while tRNA-derived piRNAs were the most prevalent among non-repeat-related piRNAs. Furthermore, a distinct profile of 34 piRNAs showed significant differential expression in WT patients compared to healthy controls-22 downregulated and 12 upregulated. The target genes of differentially expressed piRNAs exhibited significant enrichment in biological pathways related to cytokine activity, inflammatory responses, TGF-beta signaling, p38 MAPK, and ErbB signaling. These genes are also involved in DNA damage response, DNA methylation, cell cycle regulation, as well as kidney development and function. Low expression levels of several piRNAs, especially piR-hsa-1,913,711, piR-hsa-28,190, piR-hsa-28,849, piR-hsa-28,848, and piR-hsa-28,318, showed significant diagnostic potential as non-invasive biomarkers for WT (AUC > 0.8, p < 0.05). Their expression levels also significantly correlated with adverse pathological features, including metastasis, anaplasia, and bilateral WT development. In conclusion, non-transposon-related piRNAs may serve as reliable biomarkers for WT and possess potential non-germline functions, particularly in regulating DNA methylation, cell growth, immune responses, and immune responses. Further studies are warranted to elucidate their functional significance.

Indexed as

Blood-based biomarkersDiagnostic potentialNon-germline functionsNon-transposon-related PiRNAsPiRNAome profilingWilms tumor

Identifiers

PMID40287690
PMCPMC12034122

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