Extracellular Vesicles and the Quest for Molecular Biomarkers for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Abstract

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a relentlessly progressive and fatal neuromuscular disease with no effective biomarkers, treatments or cure. In the early stages of ALS, it can be difficult to provide a diagnosis as patients do not meet diagnostic criteria until they become symptomatic, a sign of neuron degeneration. Early detection is therefore crucial to provide access to therapeutics prior to significant neuron loss. Extracellular vesicles are an ideal source of biomarkers as they contain a mix of proteins and nucleic acids reflective of the physiological state and are released from all cell types. We identified valosin-containing protein, integrin-beta 1 and gelsolin as potential biomarkers for ALS14 through proteomic analysis of EVs isolated from cell lines carrying the ALS-associated VCP-R155H mutation. My results indicate that EVs may serve as a valuable source of protein biomarkers in diagnostic, prognostic and predictive applications.