2. Academic Validation
  3. Developmental endothelial locus-1 as a potential biomarker for the formation and progression of intracranial aneurysm

Developmental endothelial locus-1 as a potential biomarker for the formation and progression of intracranial aneurysm

  • Gene. 2025 Apr 10:944:149292. doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2025.149292.
Xiaoxin Wu 1,  Minghao Zhang 1,  Jie Chen 2,  Jiaoxing Li 1,  Kai Lan 3,  Yi Xie 4,  Wenli Sheng 5,  Fei Ye 6
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China.
  • 2 Department of Neurosurgery, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
  • 3 Department of Anesthesiology, Troops 32268 Hospital, Army Medical University, Dali 671000, China.
  • 4 Operating Theater, Woodlands Health, Singapore 737628, Singapore.
  • 5 Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China. Electronic address: shengwl@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
  • 6 Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China; Department of Neurosurgery, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China; Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, National University of Singapore, Singapore 169857, Singapore. Electronic address: dr_yefei@outlook.com.
PMID: 39880340 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2025.149292
Abstract

Background: Intracranial aneurysms (IAs) are pathological dilations occurring at major branch points of cerebral arteries, which can lead to aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) upon rupture. Recent studies have identified developmental endothelial locus-1 (DEL1) as closely associated with IA, though its role remains not fully understood. This study aimed to investigate serum DEL1 level differences in IA patients and explore its function in vascular endothelial cells.

Methods: We enrolled 32 IA patients and 32 healthy controls at our hospital between February 2024 and August 2024. Clinical data were collected from electronic medical records. Peripheral blood samples were taken preoperatively to measure serum DEL1 concentrations using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Functional assays were conducted on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro.

Results: Serum DEL1 levels were significantly lower in IA patients compared to healthy controls. Subgroup analysis showed that DEL1 levels were lower in patients with ruptured IAs and multiple IAs. Serum DEL1 level exhibits good performance as a biomarker for IA and aSHA. Additionally, in vitro experiments demonstrated that DEL1 knockdown (siDEL1) in HUVECs significantly enhanced cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation, while abnormal shear stress reduced endothelial DEL1 gene expression and disrupted endothelial barrier, suggesting a role in IA formation and progression.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that decreased serum DEL1 levels may serve as a potential biomarker for the formation and progression of IAs. DEL1 could be a key target for future studies investigating the pathogenesis of IA and aSAH.

Keywords

Biomarker; Developmental endothelial locus-1 (DEL1); Endothelial cells; Intracranial aneurysms.

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