exoRBase 3.0 – an updated resource for extracellular RNAs from human biofluids

Extracellular RNAs (exRNAs) are tiny molecules found outside cells in bodily fluids such as blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid. They can reveal a lot about what’s happening inside the body, which makes them valuable as noninvasive biomarkers for detecting and monitoring diseases. A research team led by researchers from Fudan University has developed exoRBase 3.0, a major upgrade to a database that catalogs these exRNAs in remarkable detail.

The updated database now includes nearly 20,000 messenger RNAs, 16,000 long non-coding RNAs, and over 126,000 circular RNAs collected from almost 3,000 human samples. What makes this version particularly powerful is its ability to distinguish between RNAs that come from extracellular vesicles (EVs), such as exosomes, and those that float freely in fluids. This comparison helps scientists identify which biomarkers are most useful for diagnosing or tracking diseases under different conditions.

Additionally, exoRBase 3.0 introduces interactive visual tools and expanded pathway analysis that cover nearly 13,000 gene sets. These features enable researchers to explore how RNA molecules relate to specific tissues, cell types, and biological pathways. By improving the understanding of how extracellular RNAs behave in different contexts, this database supports the development of more precise and effective liquid biopsy methods for cancer and other diseases.

Availability – http://www.exorbase.org