A recent study led by the University of Oxford and published in Science has found that platelets can capture and store fragments of DNA circulating in the blood, including mutated DNA linked to cancer. This research offers new insight into how the body clears genetic material released when cells die, a process previously not fully understood.
The findings suggest that platelets absorb stray DNA, which may help clean the blood and maintain immune system balance. Researchers report that analyzing platelet DNA through a simple blood test has detected even pre-cancerous changes, pointing to less invasive methods for early cancer screening.
Professor Paul Rees from Swansea’s Faculty of Science and Engineering co-supervised the project and contributed to analyzing microscopy data confirming this process. Professor Rees stated: “The role of platelets, which are primarily involved with blood clotting, in absorbing cell-free DNA from the blood was completely unexpected. Also, the protection they give the internalised DNA from degradation in the blood means that this source of platelet DNA is perfect for detecting modifications and mutations that indicate diseases such as cancer in the body at a very early stage.”
Current approaches for analyzing circulating DNA focus on platelet-depleted plasma and discard platelets. The study’s lead author Dr Lauren Murphy from the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine (MRC WIMM) noted: “Our study suggests that platelets might be even more important for our health than we previously realised. It also indicates that current liquid biopsy screening methods are overlooking valuable genetic information that is contained within platelets.”
The team also identified fetal DNA in maternal platelets during pregnancy, indicating potential improvements for existing genetic testing methods.
Dr Bethan Psaila, Associate Professor of Haematology at Oxford and senior author on the study said: “Our discovery that platelets act as tiny DNA dust-busters in the blood was unexpected. One lucky consequence of this is that platelets bear hallmarks of DNA damage that has occurred in all tissues in our body – and analysis of platelets can potentially improve screening tests, including for cancer.”