Collaborative study identifies metabolic profiles in platelets with potential to predict ALS progression

A team from the Lleida Biomedical Research Institute (IRBLleida), in collaboration with the Motor Neuron Disease Unit at Bellvitge University Hospital, Arnau de Vilanova University Hospital in Lleida and the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), has identified metabolic and lipid profiles in platelets with the potential to predict the rate of progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The results of the research have been published in the Nature group's scientific journal Scientific Reports. The study suggests that analysing the metabolism and fatty acid profiles of platelets may provide new prognostic tools for this neurodegenerative disease, which is characterised by highly variable progression between individuals.

ALS and the need for prognostic biomarkers

ALS is a serious neurodegenerative disease with highly variable progression, with an average survival rate of only two to three years after diagnosis. Currently, there are no reliable biomarkers that can predict the rate of progression in each individual.

In this study, the research team, made up of the IRBLleida Metabolic physiopathology group, analysed platelet samples from 15 people with ALS and 21 healthy volunteers. The results show that, while the differences between patients and controls do not allow for the establishment of a clear diagnostic marker, metabolic and lipid profiles have been identified that discriminate with great precision between people with rapid disease progression and those with slower progression.

Platelets as a window into metabolism

Platelets, which are easily accessible through blood sampling, have a high mitochondrial content and can reflect metabolic alterations relevant to ALS. According to the research team, this makes them a potential source of prognostic biomarkers that, in the future, could help to better stratify affected individuals and design more accurate clinical trials. Although this is a pilot study and the results will need to be validated in larger cohorts, the research provides new evidence on the central role of lipid metabolism and cellular energy in ALS.

Article: Torres P., Pradas I., Fernández-Bernal A., Povedano M., Domínguez R., Jové M., et al. Exploring platelet metabolomics and fatty acid profiles for ALS prognosis and diagnosis. Scientific Reports (Nature), 2025. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-16220-0