Circulating Nucleic Acids in Health and Disease

Abstract

Significant changes of the extracellular DNA and RNA concentration andcomposition have been found in the blood from patients with severalpathologies compared with healthy individuals, indicating theirpotential as the disease biomarkers. Tumor-specific genome andmitochondrial DNA changes, such as mutations, microsatelliteinstability, aberrant methylation, as well as mRNA and microRNA havebeen detected in cancer plasma and serum. Several studies providedevidence for the circulating nucleic acid's involvement into the diseasedevelopment, which could be valuable for the development of noveltherapeutic approaches. In the chapter, the usefulness of serologicalDNA and RNA markers in diagnosis and prognosis of cancer and otherpathological states, including trauma, stroke, myocardial infarction,hematological disorders, complications in organ transplantation, anddiabetes are discussed.