Liu · 2020 · Scientific reports
Blood biomarkers and individual conversion differences
Can biological responses to sulforaphane be detected in blood and urine?
Human and isolated cells · pilot biomarker study
Key findings
Defense and inflammation marker responses
Response directions were explored for cellular defense and heat-shock genes and inflammation-related genes.
Individual differences in conversion
Estimated conversion based on urinary metabolites relative to dose varied widely by participant, from 8.2% to 68.4%.
Clinical changes reported by families
Eight of ten families reported no clinical change. The study focused on biomarkers.
Detailed results
Biological responses were measured in blood and urine.
The study combined an experiment treating peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy people with sulforaphane and a pilot trial in which ten boys with ASD consumed the material for 14 days. This was part of selecting antioxidant, inflammatory, and heat-shock response measures for a later Zimmerman clinical trial.
In vitro cells were analyzed for defense genes including NQO1 and HO-1 and responses to inflammatory stimulation. In humans, blood gene expression and sulforaphane metabolites in urine and blood were assessed.
Metabolite excretion varied even after the same precursor was consumed.
Urinary metabolite recovery relative to dose ranged widely from 8.2% to 68.4% across ten participants. Excretion under a defined urine-collection protocol was measured to explore compound conversion and individual metabolic differences.
Only six blood samples were used for gene analysis because of sample-quality issues and infections. Most individual defense and inflammation measures did not reach statistical significance; the researchers proposed the potential of a panel grouping functionally related markers.
Exploring biomarkers for a later clinical trial
Eight families reported no clinical change over the short observation period. The researchers proposed research biomarkers to track sulforaphane exposure and cellular responses.
Study design
The assay was first evaluated in blood cells from healthy people, then blood and urine were compared before and after intake in ten children. This was a pilot study preparing for a clinical trial without a control group.
- Participants
- Ten boys with ASD · approximately 6–12 years
Parallel experiments in blood cells from healthy donors - Intake and observation
- GLR and myrosinase tablets · 14 days
Target SFN dose in the study: approximately 2.2 µmol/kg/day - Measures
- PBMC gene expression, urine and plasma ITC metabolites, and estimated GLR→SF conversion
Study context
A 10-person, 14-day pilot study exploring blood and urine biomarkers for use in the Zimmerman clinical trial.
Original paper and sources
Biomarker Exploration in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells for Monitoring Sulforaphane Treatment Responses in Autism Spectrum Disorder.
- Journal
- Scientific reports · 2020 · 10(1): 5822
- First published
- 2020-04-02