Abstract
Biomarkers are valuable tools in clinical practice. In 2001, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) standardized the definition of a biomarker as a characteristic that is objectively measured and evaluated as an indicator of normal biological processes, pathogenic processes, or pharmacological responses to a therapeutic intervention. A biomarker has clinical relevance when it presents precision, standardization and reproducibility, suitability to the patient, straightforward interpretation by clinicians, and high sensitivity and/or specificity by the parameter it proposes to identify. Thus, serum biomarkers should have advantages related to the simplicity of the procedures and to the fact that venous blood collection is commonplace in clinical practice. We described the potentiality of cfDNA as a general clinical biomarker and focused on endothelial dysfunction. Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) refers to extracellular DNA present in body fluid that may be derived from both normal and diseased cells. An increasing number of studies demonstrate the potential use of cfDNA as a noninvasive biomarker to determine physiologic and pathologic conditions. However, although still scarce, increasing evidence has been reported regarding using cfDNA in cardiovascular diseases. Here, we have reviewed the history of cfDNA, its source, molecular features, and release mechanism. We also show recent studies that have investigated cfDNA as a possible marker of endothelial damage in clinical settings. In the cardiovascular system, the studies are quite new, and although interesting, stronger evidence is still needed. However, some drawbacks in cfDNA methodologies should be overcome before its recommendation as a biomarker in the clinical setting.
Funder
Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz
Subject
Inorganic Chemistry,Organic Chemistry,Physical and Theoretical Chemistry,Computer Science Applications,Spectroscopy,Molecular Biology,General Medicine,Catalysis
Cited by
26 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献