13 blood biomarkers may aid in diagnosing Parkinson’s, study says
Goal is to speed disease identification using samples easy to obtain
Thirteen blood biomarkers, including three never previously linked to Parkinson’s disease, may help in diagnosing people sooner and scientists in better understanding the condition, according to a study based on data from nearly 400,000 people.
“We identified several blood biomarkers that may be associated with the risk of developing [Parkinson’s disease], providing valuable insights for further exploration of [Parkinson’s disease]-related biomarkers,” the researchers wrote.
The study, “Early detection of Parkinson’s disease through multiplex blood and urine biomarkers prior to clinical diagnosis,” was published in npj Parkinson’s Disease.
Blood biomarkers tied with a higher or lower risk of developing Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s is often diagnosed based on disease motor symptoms, but misdiagnoses are common, and considerable damage to nerve cells can take place by the time the disease is identified. Reliable biomarkers help in diagnosing the disease in earlier stages and getting patients onto treatment in a timely manner.
Doctors often use blood and urine tests in determining a diagnosis, because such samples are easy to obtain. Diagnosing Parkinson’s, however, can involve tests for disease-causing protein aggregates that typically rely on samples of cerebrospinal fluid, the liquid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
“Biomarkers based on blood and urine, due to their non-invasive nature, low cost, and capability for frequent monitoring, can be widely applied in clinical settings,” the researchers in China wrote.
They drew on data from 392,280 people from the U.K. Biobank, a large database containing genetic and health information, to look into such biomarkers. Over a median follow-up period of 9.5 years, a total of 3,084 people were diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Their mean age at onset was 63.
Researchers looked at the levels of 67 biomarkers — 63 from blood and four from urine — to see if they were linked to Parkinson’s. They found 13 blood biomarkers associated with a higher or lower risk of Parkinson’s, which they noted “may provide valuable insights for better predicting” the disease.
Among the 13 biomarkers, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) was associated with an increased risk of Parkinson’s — raising the risk of developing the disease by 25%. Conversely, C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammation marker, appeared to be protective, decreasing the risk by 11%.
Three of these 13 biomarkers — phosphate, the AST/ALT ratio, and the immature reticulocyte fraction or IRF — have never been linked to Parkinson’s. The AST/ALT ratio is a measure of liver function based on the levels of two liver enzymes, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT); IRF measures the amount of young and not fully developed red blood cells, called reticulocytes, in the bloodstream. Phosphate is a mineral necessary for strong bones and known to support nerve and muscle health.
Genetic analysis revealed that some biomarkers, including IRF, IGF-1, and CRP, share common genetic links with Parkinson’s. These genes included MAPT, a known risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases, as well as HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQA1, which are linked to the body’s immune response, and SETD1A that’s involved in blood cell production.
“This study leveraged the UK Biobank’s extensive dataset of blood and urine biomarkers to advance our understanding of [Parkinson’s disease],” the researchers wrote. However, “the relationship between biomarkers and Parkinson’s disease should still be approached with caution.”
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