British scientists have developed a new blood test that could detect the earliest signs of heart and kidney disease long before current methods are able to identify damage.
The breakthrough, published in the journal Nature Communications, was led by researchers at University of Bristol and offers a less invasive way to monitor microscopic blood vessel damage, a key early indicator of several serious diseases.
Researchers say the discovery could improve early diagnosis and allow doctors to begin treatment before conditions become irreversible or life threatening.
Until now, detecting damage to tiny blood vessels has relied on invasive tissue biopsies and highly specialised microscopy techniques. The new method instead focuses on changes to the glycocalyx, a thin protective layer made up of sugars and proteins that lines the inside of blood vessels.
The glycocalyx plays a vital role in regulating what passes in and out of the bloodstream and helps guide immune cells to areas of the body where they are needed. Scientists found that this layer is extremely sensitive and begins to change during the earliest stages of disease.
Using advanced chemical analysis, the research team discovered that red blood cells continuously exchange components of the glycocalyx with blood vessel walls as blood circulates around the body. This process leaves what researchers describe as a biochemical “imprint” on the surface of red blood cells, reflecting the condition of the blood vessel lining.
The team believes this imprint could form the basis of a simple blood test capable of detecting blood vessel damage much earlier than existing diagnostic tools.
Dr Matthew Butler, the study’s first author and a consultant senior lecturer at the University of Bristol, said the health of blood vessels is central to overall wellbeing, but many microscopic vessels remain impossible to examine directly because of their size.
He said the findings suggest changes on the surface of red blood cells could reveal damage to tiny blood vessels before other warning signs appear. He also said the method could help doctors quickly assess whether treatments are successfully repairing the blood vessel lining.
Professor Simon Satchell, professor of renal and vascular medicine at the University of Bristol and senior author of the study, described the discovery as a potential step towards more proactive and preventative healthcare.
He said the findings could allow doctors to identify health problems much earlier and intervene before diseases fully develop.
The research was funded directly by the Medical Research Council and Kidney Research UK. The British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK also supported one or more of the study’s authors.
Source: https://www.ukri.org/news/blood-test-enables-earlier-detection-of-heart-and-kidney-disease/
