Open AccessCell-free DNA as a solid-organ transplant biomarker: technologies and approaches
Author(s) -
Rebecca Edwards,
Jondavid Menteer,
Rachel M. Lestz,
Lee Ann BaxterLowe
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
biomarkers in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1752-0371
pISSN - 1752-0363
DOI - 10.2217/bmm-2021-0968
Subject(s) - medicine , biomarker , cell free fetal dna , organ transplantation , transplantation , liquid biopsy , oncology , bioinformatics , cancer , biology , pregnancy , fetus , biochemistry , genetics , prenatal diagnosis
High-quality biomarkers that detect emergent graft damage and/or rejection after solid-organ transplantation offer new opportunities to improve post-transplant monitoring, allow early therapeutic intervention and facilitate personalized patient management. Donor-derived cell-free DNA (DD-cfDNA) is a particularly exciting minimally invasive biomarker because it has the potential to be quantitative, time-sensitive and cost-effective. Increased DD-cfDNA has been associated with graft damage and rejection episodes. Efforts are underway to further improve sensitivity and specificity. This review summarizes the procedures used to process and detect DD-cfDNA, measurement of DD-cfDNA in clinical transplantation, approaches for improving sensitivity and specificity and long-term prospects as a transplant biomarker to supplement traditional organ monitoring and invasive biopsies.