ALS Biomarker Assay

Creative Biolabs has established a professional biomarker testing team dedicated to providing our clients with specialized ALS biomarker testing to help screen potential ALS biomarkers or detect identified ALS biomarkers.

Introduction to Current ALS Biomarkers

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. The research on genes and mechanisms related to ALS pathogenesis has always been a hot topic. Several gene mutations have been indicated to be associated with the occurrence and development of ALS. Mutations that cause ALS have been identified in more than 30 genes, of which superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1), chromosome 9 72 open reading frame (C9orf72), and fusion to sarcoma (FUS), and TAR DNA-binding protein (TARDBP, encoding TDP-43) are the most common. The accumulation of misfolded proteins expressed by mutated genes leads to neural filament (NFs) accumulation and axon transport dysfunction. These proteins are considered to be the important biomarkers of ALS disease.

In addition to genetic biomarkers, several potential biomarkers have been reported for the diagnosis of ALS. For example, creatinine, albumin, cholesterol, transferrin, triglyceride, and nerve fiber light chain (NfL) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are biomarkers used in the diagnosis and treatment of ALS. Among them, NfL is a protein that is highly expressed in myelinated axons. When the axons of the central nervous system are damaged, NfL is released in large amounts in the CSF and blood. Therefore, NfL has a certain application value in the diagnosis, monitoring of disease progression, and judgment of the prognosis of ALS.

Fig.1. Pathogenetic mechanisms involved in ALS. (Bonafede, 2017)

ALS Biomarker Assay Services

Creative Biolabs here provides high-quality AD biomarker assay services, including ELISA assay for candidate ALS biomarkers and high-throughput proteomic analysis for screening new ALS biomarkers.

• Antigen-antibody hybridization-based assay
  ELISA is the "gold standard" method for protein assay. ELISA is a qualitative and quantitative detection of immune response by using a specific combination of antibody-antigen. This method has high sensitivity, specificity, and repeatability, and can be used for the detection of ALS biomarkers. Traditional and novel ELISA platforms, as well as ultra-sensitive detection (Quanterix Single-molecule array), can be used for biomarker quantification in the fg/mL-ng/mL range and ALS biomarker candidate validation.

Fig.2. The comparison of serum NFL concentration between patients with ALS and HCs by Single-molecule array. (Bonafede, 2017)

• Proteomics assay
  Proteomic methods are increasingly preferred to better explore disease-related mechanisms and identify disease biomarkers. A large number of studies have shown that the aggregation of several key proteins, including TDP-43 and SOD1, was closely related to ALS. We provide labeled and unlabeled proteomics techniques based on mass spectrometry to help researchers discover the pathogenesis of genetic markers of ALS and screen for new ALS biomarkers.

Fig.3. Proteomics workflow for label-free and labeling quantitation of proteins from complex mixtures relevant to understanding ALS. (Hedl, 2019)

Please contact us to discuss your project and our professional team will provide you with an ALS biomarker assay regimen based on your needs.

References

1. Bonafede, R.; Mariotti, R. ALS pathogenesis and therapeutic approaches: the role of mesenchymal stem cells and extracellular vesicles. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience. 2017, 11: 80.
2. Sugimoto K.; et al. Correlational Analysis of ALS Progression and Serum NfL Measured by Simoa Assay in Chinese Patients. Frontiers in Neurology. 2020; 11: 579094.
3. Hedl TJ.; et al. Proteomics Approaches for Biomarker and Drug Target Discovery in ALS and FTD. Frontiers in Neuroscience. 2019; 13: 548.