Comprehensive Assessment of serum 3′-tRF Arg as a novel diagnostic biomarker for gastric cancer

Abstract Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the malignant tumors with the highest mortality rates worldwide, yet there is a lack of diagnostic markers with high sensitivity in the clinic. tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) are a novel type of non-coding small RNAs characterized by their abundance in body fluids and specific biological functions. In this study, we focused on the potential of tsRNAs as biomarkers for the diagnosis of GC. Methods: Differential expression of tsRNAs was screened by high-throughput sequencing, and Quantitative real-time PCR verified the expression of 3′-tRFArg in GC serum and tissues. The methodological evaluation of 3′-tRFArg was confirmed using Sanger sequencing and agarose gel electrophoresis. The correlation between the expression levels of 3′-tRFArg and clinical pathological parameters was analyzed using Chi-square tests. The diagnostic value was assessed through the receiver operating characteristic curve, and the impact of 3′-tRFArg expression on survival was evaluated using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. Result: 3′-tRFArg was found underexpressed in GC tissues and serum with good stability. The differential expression of serum 3′-tRFArg could identify GC patients and show significant correlations with clinical pathological features. Furthermore, the receiver operating characteristic curve indicated that 3′-tRFArg possesses a higher diagnostic value than conventional biomarkers, particularly in the early diagnosis of GC. Conclusions: 3′-tRFArg is significantly underexpressed in the serum of GC patients and can serve as a biomarker of high sensitivity. It possesses superior diagnostic efficacy compared to traditional markers and is valuable for monitoring tumor development and prognosis.