Health Biomarkers AB is a company owned by scientists working at Stockholm University and Karolinska Hospital. Our products are based on research that has been conducted over the past 10 years and has been evaluated with the use of well recognized scientific methods.
Biomarkers of oxidative stress.
OxoMarker is our market label for the method that was developed for the analysis of 8-oxo-dG in blood samples. 8-oxo-dG is formed in cells as a consequence of reactions between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and one of the nucleotide pool precursors of DNA, dGTP, whereby 8-oxo-dGTP is formed [1,2]. This molecule is degraded by a the nucleotide sanitizing enzyme (HMTH1) to 8-oxo-dGMP that will prevent its incorporation into DNA, where it can be mutagenic. The levels of 8-oxo-dG found in the blood can be used as a biomarker for oxidative stress reflecting a person’s protection against oxygen radicals formed in the cells. The basic levels of 8-oxo-dG in blood differs between individuals as well as the levels observed in response to physiological stress [3]. As described in reference three changes in 8-oxo-dG can be used for validation of the antioxidant capacity of certain nutrients, such as lycopene in tomato juice. Recently we have developed a protocol for analysis of 8-oxo-dG in saliva that in many cases will simplify the biosampling.
Biomarkers of radiation sensitivity.
On the clinical side, research has been focused in biomarkers that can be used to diagnose patients who are particularly prone to develop serious side effects of radiation in in response to radiation therapy. Two lines of research is currently being conducted, one is based on the analysis of the stress response using OxoMarker on irradiated blood from patients with documented radiosensitivity [4,5]. The second line includes the study of other markers of cellular stress and focuses on the analysis of protein expression in the blood cells from patients with documented radiation sensitivity (Haghdoost 2015 Mut Res). The aim is to identify unique patterns of proteins that can be used to diagnose patients who will develop severe reactions in normal tissue in response to radiotherapy. In parallel genetic markers, are studied in cohorts of patients that have developed severe normal tissue reactions [6]. Validation studies are ongoing and the aim is to market a new diagnostic tool for individualized therapy in five years’ time.
Validation and identification of nutrients with anti-oxidative capacity.
The company's third line of research focuses on methods that can be used to t identify nutrients with antioxidant and/or anti-mutagenic capacity. This research is performed both on cells in culture and through intervention studies where the effects of certain nutrients are followed for healthy volunteers using our biomarker of oxidative stress [3] or for induction of micronuclei as a biomarker for genotoxicity [7].
Health Biomarkers can offer intervention studies on healthy volunteers for validation of substances/nutrients regarding their antioxidant/anti-mutagenic capacity using Oxomarker or micronuclei as endpoints after that ethical permission has been granted.
References:
1. Haghdoost, S.; Czene, S.; Naslund, I.; Skog, S.; Harms-Ringdahl, M., Extracellular 8-oxo-dg as a sensitive parameter for oxidative stress in vivo and in vitro. Free radical research 2005, 39, 153-162.
2. Haghdoost, S.; Sjolander, L.; Czene, S.; Harms-Ringdahl, M., The nucleotide pool is a significant target for oxidative stress. Free radical biology & medicine 2006, 41, 620-626.
3. Harms-Ringdahl, M.; Jenssen, D.; Haghdoost, S., Tomato juice intake suppressed serum concentration of 8-oxodg after extensive physical activity. Nutrition journal 2012, 11, 29.
4. Haghdoost, S.; Svoboda, P.; Naslund, I.; Harms-Ringdahl, M.; Tilikides, A.; Skog, S., Can 8-oxo-dg be used as a predictor for individual radiosensitivity? International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics 2001, 50, 405-410.
5. Skiold, S.; Naslund, I.; Brehwens, K.; Andersson, A.; Wersall, P.; Lidbrink, E.; Harms-Ringdahl, M.; Wojcik, A.; Haghdoost, S., Radiation-induced stress response in peripheral blood of breast cancer patients differs between patients with severe acute skin reactions and patients with no side effects to radiotherapy. Mutation research 2013, 756, 152-157.
6. Danielsson, D.; Brehwens, K.; Halle, M.; Marczyk, M.; Sollazzo, A.; Polanska, J.; Munck-Wikland, E.; Wojcik, A.; Haghdoost, S., Influence of genetic background and stress response on risk of mandibular osteoradionecrosis after radiotherapy of head and neck cancer. Head & neck 2014.
7. Kotova, N.; Frostne, C.; Abramsson-Zetterberg, L.; Tareke, E.; Bergman, R.; Haghdoost, S.; Paulsson, B.; Tornqvist, M.; Segerback, D.; Jenssen, D., et al., Differences in micronucleus frequency and acrylamide adduct levels with hemoglobin between vegetarians and non-vegetarians. European journal of nutrition 2014.
