Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41041342›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in immunology2025

Cell-free DNA integrity and complement C4d as novel liquid biopsy biomarkers for paraneoplastic and non-paraneoplastic autoimmune encephalitis.

Aigli G Vakrakou, Maria-Evgenia Brinia, Anastasia Cheiraki, Anastasia Alexaki, Anna Papadopoulou, Giannis Vatsellas, Vasileia Kokala Dimitropoulou, Anastasia Derventzi, Vassilios C Constantinides, Panos Stathopoulos and 6 more

Abstract read
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Article in Frontiers in immunology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Aigli G VakrakouNeuroimmunology Unit, 1st Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Maria-Evgenia BriniaNeuroimmunology Unit, 1st Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Anastasia CheirakiNeuroimmunology Unit, 1st Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Anastasia AlexakiNeuroimmunology Unit, 1st Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Anna PapadopoulouNeuroimmunology Unit, 1st Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Giannis VatsellasGreek Genome Center, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Vasileia Kokala Dimitropoulou2nd Surgery Clinic, Aretaieio Hospital Athens Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Anastasia Derventzi1st Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, Hippokration General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Vassilios C ConstantinidesNeurochemistry and Biological Marker Unit, 1st Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Panos StathopoulosNeuroimmunology Unit, 1st Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Foteini BoufidouNeurochemistry and Biological Marker Unit, 1st Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Leonidas StefanisNeuroimmunology Unit, 1st Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Christine StadelmannDepartment of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Gottingen, Gottingen, Germany.
Stefan NesslerDepartment of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Gottingen, Gottingen, Germany.
Elisabeth KapakiNeurochemistry and Biological Marker Unit, 1st Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Constantinos KilidireasNeuroimmunology Unit, 1st Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Neuronal injury in autoimmune encephalitis (AE) may involve antibodies or T cells, with or without complement activation. Cell-free DNA (cf-DNA), released during cell death, and the complement split product C4d may reflect underlying tissue damage and immune activation. This study examines cf-DNA and C4d levels in the CSF and plasma of AE patients, focusing on differences between paraneoplastic and non-paraneoplastic subtypes. Methods: Thirty patients with AE (including paraneoplastic and non-paraneoplastic cases) and 18 healthy and disease controls were included. Total cf-DNA and cf-DNA integrity (cfDI), defined as the ALU-247/ALU-115 ratio, were measured in the CSF and plasma using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Interleukins IL-6 and IL-17A and the complement split product C4d were measured by ELISA. Clinical and radiological parameters were recorded. Results: CSF cf-DNA levels were significantly elevated in AE patients compared to controls ( Conclusions: Elevated CSF levels of necrotic cf-DNA and the complement split product C4d reflect heightened CNS tissue injury and inflammatory activity in AE, particularly in paraneoplastic cases. These biomarkers may serve as useful tools for early diagnosis, disease monitoring, and subtype differentiation in AE.

Indexed as

Cell-Free Nucleic AcidsComplement C4bEncephalitisHashimoto DiseasePeptide FragmentsAdultAgedBiomarkersFemaleHumansLiquid BiopsyMaleMiddle AgedYoung AdultBiomarkersCell-Free Nucleic AcidsComplement C4bcomplement C4dPeptide FragmentsapoptosisC4dcell-free DNAencephalitisIL-17AIL-6necrosistumor

Identifiers

PMID41041342
PMCPMC12484147

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.