Next-Generation Stroke Biomarkers: Bridging the Gap Between Innovation and Translation

Abstract

The identification of valid biomarkers for ischemic stroke would greatly benefit not only diagnostic and prognostic assessment but also the development of new therapies. The development of omics technologies has made it possible to explore various perspectives of the pathophysiology of ischemic stroke, in particular genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics, and well-known clinical variables, such as hypertension, diabetes, heart diseases, and many others. Omics-based research has produced a mass of data evidencing candidate biomarkers at different stages in the disease process. However, further scientific evidence must be presented and affordable, and rapid detection techniques developed before these technologies can be usefully applied to the clinical setting of stroke. Here, we aim to provide stroke clinicians with an updated overview of the contribution of these emerging technologies in the individuation of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and the development of specifically targeted therapies. Cross-fertilization (translation and reverse translation) between preclinical and clinical research is of particular relevance in the identification of stroke biomarkers. We believe it is useful to provide, in parallel, an updated review of omics investigations using stroke rodent models. This review presents a detailed discussion of the state of the art, focusing on the strengths and limitations of the individual technologies and an outline of the promising, most recent results of both clinical and preclinical research in this field related to stroke.