Category Archives: P4 Medicine Update 4/4/11

Captured by GenomeWeb

Stanford University researchers have developed a non-invasive, sequencing-based strategy for gauging rejection in organ transplant recipients.

In a study appearing online last night in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team reported that levels of cell-free donor DNA jump in blood samples from transplant recipients experiencing rejection compared to those who aren’t. From there, the researchers came up with a “genome transplant dynamics” strategy to test for transplant rejection by tracking donor DNA via genotyping and high-throughput sequencing — an approach they validated in a handful of heart transplant patients.

“Because transplanted organs have genomes that are distinct from the recipient’s genome, we used high-throughput shotgun sequencing to develop a universal non-invasive approach to monitoring organ health,” co-corresponding author Stephen Quake, a bioengineering researcher at Stanford, and co-authors wrote. “Our results demonstrate that cell-free DNA can be used to detect an organ-specific signature that correlates with rejection, and this measurement can be made on any combination of donor and recipient.”

Individuals receiving heart transplants are typically monitored for rejection via endomyocardial biopsies that require nipping off small samples of transplanted heart tissue. Individuals deemed at risk of rejection are then treated with anti-rejection drugs. But, researchers explained, such biopsies are expensive, invasive, and sometimes have serious side effects. They argue that a non-invasive, blood-based alternative would not only spare patients the discomfort of biopsies but might also curb unnecessary treatment. Read more…