PlaqueTec and Cambridge researchers confirm that Olink proximity extension assay technology correlates with established ELISA methods in coronary artery samples.
A peer-reviewed study published in the Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology has demonstrated a significant correlation between measurements of biologically active endothelin-1 (ET-1) generated using Olink proximity extension assay technology and an established ELISA-based method.
Conducted by PlaqueTec in collaboration with the Department of Cardiology at Royal Papworth Hospital and the Department of Medicine at the University of Cambridge, the research supports the use of proximity extension assay technology for evaluating ET-1 levels in human coronary artery plasma samples.
The study evaluated coronary blood samples provided by PlaqueTec. Results confirmed significant correlation between the Olink platform and the clinical ELISA assay in specifically detecting biologically active ET-1.
Multiplex Proteomics from Low Sample Volumes
The validation of the Olink Explore 3072 Proximity Extension assay platform underscores the reliability of using proximity extension assays for multiplex detection of thousands of plasma proteins using low sample volumes.
These high-throughput capabilities offer practical advantages in clinical trial environments where sample availability is limited or where specimens must be tested across multiple biomarkers. This includes intracoronary samples utilized in PlaqueTec’s BIOPATTERN trial, an initiative examining interpatient variation in local vascular signals to evaluate biological pathways involved in atherosclerosis and identify novel therapeutic targets.
“Knowing that the Olink assay genuinely reflects biologically active ET-1 is really important for us. It gives us confidence that the protein signals we’re seeing in coronary blood samples from our BIOPATTERN trial are meaningful, and that we can trust the data as we work to understand the biology of atherosclerotic plaques and identify new ways to help patients with cardiovascular disease,” says Diane Proudfoot, chief scientific officer at PlaqueTec and co-author, in a release.
Cardiovascular Biomarker Applications
ET-1 is a potent peptide produced by endothelial cells that induces vasoconstriction and plays an established role in cardiovascular disease pathways, where elevated plasma levels contribute to increased vasoconstrictive tone.
The findings build on previous investigations using Olink assays, including UK Biobank data that showed elevated ET-1 levels in participants with pulmonary arterial hypertension, which correlated with increased pulmonary vascular resistance and disease severity. Together, these data support incorporating ET-1 into broader multiplex biomarker panels to study therapeutic targets in coronary artery disease.
“Detrimental increases in plasma ET-1 are a key biomarker identifying diseases for successfully translating ET receptor antagonists into the clinic. In clinical trials, increases in circulating ET-1 can also be exploited as a pharmacodynamic biomarker, providing evidence for receptor blockade and target engagement by ET antagonists, optimal dose selection and patient stratification. The combination of unprecedented sensitivity with automation, establish Olink proteomics as a powerful new tool to advance the ET field,” says Anthony Davenport, professor at the University of Cambridge and study co-author, in a release.
Funding for the research was contributed by PlaqueTec alongside the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre Pump Priming Award, the Royal Papworth Innovation fund, and the Jon Moulton Charity Trust.
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