Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Specific blood protein levels may change dramatically months to years before symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) appear, according to researchers analyzing data from the NIH-funded Pre-symptomatic Familial ALS (Pre-fALS) study.
The study identified a panel of 19 proteins in blood plasma that may help predict when ALS will develop, potentially enabling earlier intervention before irreversible motor neuron damage occurs.
The Pre-fALS study, led by Michael Benatar, M.D., Ph.D., and Joanne Wuu, Sc.M., involves people with a high genetic risk for ALS who have not yet developed symptoms. Using high-throughput proteomic analysis on plasma samples from 137 participants, researchers examined over 5,000 proteins and identified 92 that differed prior to symptom onset.
Machine-learning methods were used to select an optimal panel of 19 proteins, including neurofilament light chain (NfL), that best predicted symptom onset from six months to five years in advance. According to the senior author, these biomarkers estimate symptom timing with an average error of about 18 months.