# Identify the target proteins of one ADC-specific and two SCC-specific pfeRNAs and investigate the mechanisms underlying the pfeRNA-protein interaction.

> **NIH NIH R03** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $81,875

## Abstract

Project Summary:
Lung cancer continues to be a significant health burden in the U.S. Thus, a functional understanding of the
critical molecules during NSCLC oncogenesis will enhance our knowledge of its malignant transformation, and
allow novel therapeutic strategies.
We have recently identified critical roles of protein function effector sncRNAs (pfeRNAs) in the tumorigenesis
and differentiation of NSCLC, have described their functions in the basic biology of NSCLC, and have
elucidated their structural and functional features. We have identified eight pfeRNAs as promising non-invasive
biomarkers using sncRNAs deep sequencing by analyzing 108 biospecimens, including (i) plasma from healthy
controls, (ii) plasma from patients with Stage I/II NSCLC with matched biopsy-proven NSCLC tissue as well as
histologically normal adjacent lung tissue, and (iii) plasma from patients with both biopsy-proven benign and
malignant lung nodules. We have already validated these biomarkers in 352 clinical biospecimens, including
77 healthy controls, 44 patients with benign disease, and 231 patients with malignant lung nodules. These
eight pfeRNAs were able to: (1) to differentiate patients with or without pulmonary nodules, with a sensitivity
and specificity up to 98.1% and 100%, respectively; (2) to differentiate patients who had malignant versus
benign pulmonary nodules, with a sensitivity and a specificity up to 78% and 78.8%, respectively. Furthermore,
we identified a pfeRNA is ADC-specific and two pfeRNAs are SCC-specific. Besides, we have confirmed
functional analyses of these three pfeRNAs one by one and identified their roles in the primary biological
activities of ADC, SCC, and HBE cells in vitro. In addition, we specified the cellular distribution of these three
pfeRNAs by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay. The data strongly suggest that these three
pfeRNAs play critical roles in tumorigenesis and cancer development of NSCLC. Thus, in this project, we will
identify the target proteins of these three pfeRNAs and investigate the mechanisms underlying the interaction
with the target proteins. This project will provide new evidence on NSCLC oncogenesis.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10794971
- **Project number:** 5R03CA259658-02
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Yuping Mei
- **Activity code:** R03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $81,875
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-03-01 → 2025-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10794971

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10794971, Identify the target proteins of one ADC-specific and two SCC-specific pfeRNAs and investigate the mechanisms underlying the pfeRNA-protein interaction. (5R03CA259658-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-12 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10794971. Licensed CC0.

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