Faculty Collaboration Database

Gene Expression Alterations in Peripheral Blood Following Sport-Related Concussion in a Prospective Cohort of Collegiate Athletes: A Concussion Assessment, Research and Education (CARE) Consortium Study. Sports Med 2024 Apr;54(4):1021-1032

Date

11/08/2023

Pubmed ID

37938533

DOI

10.1007/s40279-023-01951-9

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85176129118 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Molecular-based approaches to understanding concussion pathophysiology provide complex biological information that can advance concussion research and identify potential diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarkers of injury.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify gene expression changes in peripheral blood that are initiated following concussion and are relevant to concussion response and recovery.

METHODS: We analyzed whole blood transcriptomes in a large cohort of concussed and control collegiate athletes who were participating in the multicenter prospective cohort Concussion Assessment, Research, and Education (CARE) Consortium study. Blood samples were collected from collegiate athletes at preseason (baseline), within 6 h of concussion injury, and at four additional prescribed time points spanning 24 h to 6 months post-injury. RNA sequencing was performed on samples from 230 concussed, 130 contact control, and 102 non-contact control athletes. Differential gene expression and deconvolution analysis were performed at each time point relative to baseline.

RESULTS: Cytokine and immune response signaling pathways were activated immediately after concussion, but at later time points these pathways appeared to be suppressed relative to the contact control group. We also found that the proportion of neutrophils increased and natural killer cells decreased in the blood following concussion.

CONCLUSIONS: Transcriptome signatures in the blood reflect the known pathophysiology of concussion and may be useful for defining the immediate biological response and the time course for recovery. In addition, the identified immune response pathways and changes in immune cell type proportions following a concussion may inform future treatment strategies.

Author List

Simpson E, Reiter JL, Ren J, Zhang Z, Nudelman KN, Riggen LD Jr, Menser MD, Harezlak J, Foroud TM, Saykin AJ, Brooks A, Cameron KL, Duma SM, McGinty G, Rowson S, Svoboda SJ, Broglio SP, McCrea MA, Pasquina PF, McAllister TW, Liu Y, CARE Consortium Investigators

Author

Michael McCrea PhD Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Athletes
Athletic Injuries
Biomarkers
Brain Concussion
Cytokines
Female
Gene Expression
Humans
Killer Cells, Natural
Male
Neutrophils
Prospective Studies
Transcriptome
Young Adult