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Plasma proteomics identifies proteins and pathways associated with incident epilepsy
Dandan Zhang1, Ziyi Wang2, Yi Zhang2
1Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, P.R. China.
Cell Reports. Medicine
|November 18, 2025
Summary
This study identified 103 plasma proteins linked to epilepsy onset in the UK Biobank. Key biomarkers like neurofilament light polypeptide (NEFL) and growth differentiation factor 1 (GDF15) show strong associations, aiding early detection and therapeutic strategies.
Area of Science:
- Proteomics
- Neuroscience
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Epilepsy diagnosis relies on clinical history and imaging.
- Proteomics offers new avenues for disease marker detection and drug target identification.
- Large-scale biobanks enable deep investigation into complex diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a longitudinal survival analysis of plasma proteins and epilepsy onset.
- To identify novel protein biomarkers associated with epilepsy risk.
- To explore the potential of identified proteins as therapeutic targets.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal survival analysis of 2,920 plasma proteins.
- Utilized plasma proteome data from 52,372 UK Biobank participants.
- Performed enrichment and network analyses to understand biological pathways.
Main Results:
- Identified 103 proteins significantly associated with epilepsy onset.
- Neurofilament light polypeptide (NEFL) and growth differentiation factor 1 (GDF15) showed the strongest correlations.
- Discovered a significant role for immune response pathways and identified four central protein hubs.
- Associated proteins linked to brain regions involved in epileptogenesis and stress-related events.
Conclusions:
- The study identified significant plasma protein biomarkers for epilepsy risk.
- NEFL and GDF15 are promising candidates for early epilepsy detection.
- Findings support the role of immune response in epileptogenesis and suggest potential therapeutic targets.
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