Technology for protein fingerprints may aid with early diagnosis
Neuro-Net reported to spot multiple Parkinson's markers in exosomes in blood
Inoviq’s Neuro-Net technology can aid in diagnosing Parkinson’s disease at early stages, with it having effectively isolated and identified brain-released exosomes, small vesicles whose information can act as disease fingerprints, in patients’ blood, the company announced.
Measuring known biomarkers of the neurodegenerative disease using this technology enriched their detection by five to eight times compared with measuring such biomarkers directly from patients’ blood, Inoviq reported in a company press release.
Exosome isolation with Neuro-Net can “greatly [increase] the potential for earlier detection of the onset of Parkinson’s disease,” Inoviq stated.
Exosomes from patients’ brain cells are thought to help promote progression
Diagnosing Parkinson’s disease largely relies on the manifestation of disease symptoms that result from the degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons, the nerve cells responsible for the synthesis of dopamine, a chemical messenger essential for muscle control. Disease detection prior to symptom onset is an ideal, allowing for an early start of Parkinson’s treatments — possibly a mix of pharmaceutical and nondrug treatments — to help delay progression, preserve neuronal function, and minimize further brain damage.
Exosomes are tiny, bubble-like structures released by cells, often referred to as extracellular vesicles. These structures carry important biological information, such as proteins and genetic material, from one cell to another. In the context of Parkinson’s disease, exosomes are suspected of assisting in the toxic spread of the misfolded alpha-synuclein protein, a disease cause and hallmark, among brain cells.
Past studies have shown that exosomes from nerve cells can be isolated in patients’ blood and tested for key Parkinson’s biomarkers.
Neuro-Net technology uses magnetic beads and several antibodies targeting proteins found at the surface of brain-derived exosomes. It is reported to be a fast, accurate, and efficient way of isolating brain-released exosomes, and one suited to working with a variety of patient samples, including blood, saliva, cerebrospinal fluid (surrounding the brain and spinal cord), and cell culture media.
Inoviq reports that Neuro-Net successfully isolated brain-derived exosomes from the blood of people with Alzheimer’s disease, identifying unique protein patterns associated with this disorder. These protein fingerprints, of sorts, could distinguish patients from healthy individuals.
Most recently, the company stated, its technology also effectively isolated brain-derived exosomes from blood samples of Parkinson’s patients. Scientists at the Walter & Elisa Hall Institute of Medical Research, in Australia, identified marked differences in the levels of over 200 proteins within exosomes released by brain cells, with these levels being unusually high or low relative to levels within exosomes from healthy people.
“NEURO-NET has now been validated to capture brain-derived exosomes and identify blood-based exosomal protein biomarkers in both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease,” said Leearne Hinch, Inoviq’s CEO. “These biomarkers can be used to develop potential exosome-based blood tests for earlier detection and/or treatment selection.”
“INOVIQ is engaging with academia, diagnostic and biopharma companies to use our EXO-NET and NEURO-NET products for developing early detection or companion diagnostic tests for cancer and neurological conditions,” added David Williams, the company’s board chairman.
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