CCM Blood Biomarker Validation Study

Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs), one of the most common microvascular malformations in the capillary beds of the brain, are susceptible to hemorrhagic stroke. As an autosomal dominant disorder with incomplete penetrance, the majority of CCM gene mutation carriers are largely asymptomatic but when symptoms occur, the disease has typically reached the stage of focal hemorrhage with irreversible brain damage. Currently, the invasive neurosurgery removal of CCM lesions is the only treatment option, despite the recurrence of the symptoms after surgery. Therefore, there is a grave need for prognostic/monitoring biomarkers as risk predictors for stroke prevention. The objective of the proposal is to develop a set of blood prognostic/monitoring biomarkers as precise risk indicators for stroke prevention. In this project, the plan is to validate the novel serum biomarkers identified in Ccms animal models and human CCMs patients, and utilize these biomarkers with statistical algorithms for risk prediction of hemorrhagic CCMs. This proposal has been formulated based on recent findings of five serum etiological biomarkers associated with disruption of the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB), the first step for hemorrhagic CCMs in Ccm mice models. This work will lay the groundwork for larger human trials for final validation and revolutionary potential clinical applications.