Exciting research published recently in the journal Science sheds new and important light on the presence of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in the circulation as a potential aid to diagnosis for malignant disease.
Led by Prof. Bethan Psaila, University of Oxford, the multi-centre team describe the significant presence of cfDNA sequestered in platelets using microscopy and flow cytometry to elucidate and quantify this, and genetic techniques to determine the likely chromosomal origins and the inclusion of DNA from pre-malignant and cancerous lesions.
To detect the presence of platelet dsDNA far-red cell-permeant DNA dye DRAQ5 was chosen.
Current approaches to liquid biopsy sample platelet-depleted plasma, and these findings suggest that a substantial proportion of cfDNA and, therefore, important genetic information contained within platelets is being missed. Beyond the obvious opportunity to increase sensitivity of early cancer detection, especially in the pursuit of cancers prone to late-diagnosis and found in difficult to access tissues, it may also permit access to circulating cfDNA of fetal origin in maternal blood and new avenues in diseases outside of cancer.
Reference:
Murphy, L., Inchauspé, J., Valenzano, G., Holland, P., Sousos, N., Belnoue-Davis, H. L., ... & Psaila, B. (2025). Platelets sequester extracellular DNA, capturing tumor-derived and free fetal DNA. Science, 389(6761), eadp3971.
