Differential Dynamics of the Levels of Low Molecular Weight DNA Fragments in the Plasma of Patients With Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Strokes

Irina Vasilyeva; Vladimir Bespalov; Ancha Baranova; Igor Voznyuk; Denis Baranenko

doi:10.32598/bcn.11.6.1639.1

Differential Dynamics of the Levels of Low Molecular Weight DNA Fragments in the Plasma of Patients With Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Strokes

Basic Clin Neurosci. 2020 Nov-Dec;11(6):805-810. doi: 10.32598/bcn.11.6.1639.1. Epub 2020 Nov 1.

Authors

Irina Vasilyeva^{1

2}, Vladimir Bespalov^{1

2}, Ancha Baranova^{3

4

5}, Igor Voznyuk⁶, Denis Baranenko⁶

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Cancer Chemoprevention and Oncopharmacology, N.N.Petrov National Medical Research Center of Oncology, St.-Petersburg, Russia.
² International Research Center 'Biotechnologies of the Third Millennium' ITMO University, St.-Petersburg, Russia.
³ Department of George, School of Systemic Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
⁴ Laboratory of Functional Genomics, Research Center for Medical Genetics, Moscow, Russia.
⁵ Scientific Council, Atlas Biomed Group, Moscow, Russia.
⁶ Department of Acute Cerebrovascular Pathology and Emergency Neurology, Saint-Petersburg I.I. Dzhanelidze Research Institute for Emergency Medicine, St.-Petersburg, Russia.

Abstract

Introduction: To evaluate Low-Molecular-weight (LMW) DNA as a possible prognostic biomarker in acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.

Methods: LMW DNA samples were isolated from plasma and cerebrospinal fluid by phenol deproteinization, analyzed by gradient polyacrylamide electrophoresis and quantified by spectrophotometry.

Results: Two common types of stroke, i.e. ischemic and hemorrhagic, differ by the temporal dynamics of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) accumulation. In hemorrhagic stroke, an initial increase in LMW DNA levels, most likely reflects an extent of the tissue damage, while in ischemic patients, the LMW DNA levels increase in parallel with the damage caused by hypoxia and subsequent compensatory reperfusion.

Conclusion: These time-course data specify optimal assessment windows with maximum differentiating power for stroke outcomes: 24-48 hours post-event for ischemic stroke, and as close as possible to the moment of hospital admission for hemorrhagic stroke. These data also indicate the role of apoptosis in the formation of ischemic focus.

Keywords: Acute cerebrovascular accident; Apoptosis; Cell-free DNA; Cerebral ischemia; Hemorrhagic stroke.