Improved ability of blood tests to detect and monitor cancer.
Posted by giorgiobertin on January 20, 2024
The researchers of WITH and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard have developed priming agents that temporarily slow the clearance of circulating tumor DNA in the bloodstream. This allowed them to increase levels of tumor DNA, making early-stage lung metastases detectable from less than 10% to more than 75% in one mouse study.
The body uses two main strategies to remove circulating DNA from the bloodstream. Enzymes called DNation they circulate in the blood and break down the DNA they encounter, while immune cells known as macrophages take up the free DNA as the blood is filtered through the liver.
The researchers decided to target each of these processes separately. To prevent DNases from breaking down DNA, they designed a monoclonal antibody that binds to circulating DNA and protects it from enzymes.
After the priming agents are injected, it takes about an hour or two for DNA levels in the bloodstream to increase, and then they return to normal within about 24 hours. The researchers have started a company called Amplifier Bio that intends to develop the technology further, with the aim of moving into clinical trials.
This approach could enable earlier cancer diagnosis and more sensitive detection of tumor mutations, while also improving the detection of cancer recurrence.
Read the full text of the article:
Priming agents transiently reduce the clearance of cell-free DNA to improve liquid biopsies.
Martin-Alonso, C., et al.
Science. 19 Jan 2024 Vol 383, Issue 6680 doi.org/10.1126/science.adf2341.
Source: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
This entry was posted on gennaio 20, 2024 a 6:22 am and is filed under News-research. Tagged: diagnostics, hematology, genetics, oncology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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