Projects & Grants
| Monoclonal IgM-associated peripheral polyneuropathy and novel biomarkers of axonal and demyelinating injury in patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia and IgM monoclonal gammopathy | |
|---|---|
| Project Id | |
| Main solver | MUDr. Michal Kaščák |
| Period | 1/2025 - 12/2025 |
| Provider | Specifický VŠ výzkum |
| State | solved |
| Anotation | Peripheral polyneuropathies (PNPs) are a common complication in patients with monoclonal gammopathies (MGUS), especially in those with IgM MGUS and Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM). The most common variant of PNP associated with monoclonal gammopathies is anti-myelin-associated glycoprotein IgM PNP (anti-MAG PNP). This chronic form of demyelinating PNP gradually leads to loss of work capacity in a significant proportion of patients. Diagnosis and treatment response evaluation in these conditions are highly complex and rely on a combination of subjective, clinical, and invasive methods. Objective, easily reproducible, and minimally invasive tools for diagnosis and treatment effect assessment are still lacking. Structural proteins of axons and myelin in the blood reflect neural damage and can serve as biomarkers of PNP activity. Biomarkers of demyelination and axonal damage, such as the neural cell adhesion molecule (sNCAM), offer a potential, non-invasive method for monitoring neuronal damage. There are only a few studies focused on evaluating blood-detectable biomarkers in patients with MGUS-associated PNP. The aim of our study is to assess the levels of sNCAM and other biomarkers in serum samples of patients with IgM MGUS and WM, with and without PNP, compared to age-matched healthy controls. In the first year of our project, sample collection and archiving will continue, and a pilot analysis will be conducted to evaluate sNCAM and other serum biomarker concentrations and their correlation with clinical and neurophysiological characteristics of patients. |
