NeuroDex Powers New Neuron EV RNA-Seq Dataset in AMP PDRD

NeuroDex Powers Landmark Release: Neuron-Derived Extracellular Vesicle RNA-Sequencing Dataset Now Available in AMP PDRD Knowledge Portal

NeuroDex is excited to highlight our pivotal role in the recent launch of a transformative new dataset within the Accelerating Medicines Partnership® for Parkinson’s Disease and Related Disorders (AMP PDRD) Knowledge Portal. Titled “Extracellular Vesicle (EV) RNA-Sequencing”, this resource—officially introduced in AMP PD Release 4.3 (December 2025) and featured prominently in the January 2026 AMP PDRD Newsletter—delivers large-scale, longitudinal plasma RNA sequencing data from neuron-derived extracellular vesicles (NDEVs). It represents a major step forward in non-invasive, brain-specific biomarker research for Parkinson’s disease (PD) and related neurodegenerative conditions.

This dataset, accessible at https://amp-pdrd.org/data/EV-RNA-Seq, includes processed EV RNA-Seq from approximately 356 participants in the Parkinson’s Disease Biomarkers Program (PDBP) cohort, with samples collected at baseline (~354 samples), Month 12 (~355 samples), and Month 24 (~353 samples)—totaling over 1,062 samples. By leveraging NeuroDex’s proprietary ExoSORT technology for precise isolation of neuron-enriched EVs from just 800μL of plasma, the project captures extracellular RNA (exRNA) signals that directly reflect brain cellular activity, offering insights unattainable through conventional whole blood transcriptomics alone.

Why This Dataset Matters: Addressing Key Gaps in Neurodegenerative Research

Neurodegenerative diseases like PD progress silently for years before motor symptoms emerge, complicating early diagnosis, patient stratification, and therapy development. Current tools—such as CSF analysis or neuroimaging—are invasive, expensive, or insufficient for routine monitoring. Whole blood RNA sequencing provides valuable systemic data but is dominated by peripheral immune and hematopoietic signals, often masking subtle brain-specific changes.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including smaller exosomes, serve as natural carriers of molecular cargo (RNAs, proteins, lipids) released by cells under normal and pathological conditions. In the brain, neuron-derived EVs cross the blood-brain barrier into circulation, acting as “messengers” that mirror neuronal stress, synaptic dysfunction, inflammation, and disease hallmarks like α-synuclein aggregation. Analyzing exRNA from these NDEVs enables a true liquid biopsy of the central nervous system—non-invasive, repeatable, and scalable.

This AMP PDRD release directly tackles these challenges by:

• Enriching specifically for neuron-derived EVs using brain-enriched surface markers.
• Providing longitudinal tracking over two years to capture disease progression dynamics.
• Harmonizing EV RNA-Seq with existing AMP PD multi-omics layers (whole-genome sequencing, whole blood transcriptomics, proteomics) for integrated analyses.
• Expanding transcriptomic coverage to include plasma-derived exRNA, revealing potential novel biomarkers tied to neuronal health.

Official AMP PDRD announcements describe this as a “new data type” that “expands AMP PD’s transcriptomic coverage to include plasma-derived extracellular vesicles, providing additional insight into extracellular RNA expression and potential biomarkers of disease progression.”

NeuroDex’s ExoSORT Technology: The Enabling Innovation

Central to the dataset’s success is NeuroDex’s ExoSORT platform—an immunoaffinity-based isolation method optimized for high-specificity capture of NDEVs. The workflow includes:

1. Plasma sample preparation (thawing on ice, centrifugation to remove debris).
2. Precipitation with NeuroDex’s Total Extracellular Vesicle Isolation Buffer.
3. Overnight incubation at 4°C with magnetic beads conjugated to proprietary antibodies targeting GAP43 (growth-associated protein 43, involved in axonal remodeling) and NLGN3 (neuroligin-3, a key synaptic adhesion molecule).
4. Washing and RNA extraction using Qiagen’s miRNeasy Serum/Plasma Advanced Kit (with DNase treatment).

This approach yields high-quality total RNA suitable for whole transcriptome sequencing while requiring minimal sample volume—ideal for biobanked cohorts. ExoSORT adheres to MISEV (Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles) standards and has proven effective in detecting disease-relevant cargo, such as synaptic proteins and PD-associated miRNAs.

Sequencing was performed using Takara Bio’s SMART-Seq Stranded Kit (ribosomal depletion, dual-indexing), with libraries deep-sequenced on Illumina NovaSeqX to ≥50 million read pairs per sample. Processing aligned reads to GENCODE version 45, ensuring compatibility with other AMP PD datasets.

Collaborative Foundation and Scientific Leadership

This achievement reflects a powerful multi-institutional partnership funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) grant R24NS132738. Leading contributors include:

• Drs. David Craig and Kendall Jensen (Translational Genomics Research Institute – TGen)
• Dr. Erez Eitan (CEO and Chief Scientific Officer, NeuroDex)
• Dr. Xianjun Dong (Brigham and Women’s Hospital)

The effort builds on pilot studies from the BioFIND cohort (matching plasma/CSF samples for bulk and small EV exRNA), scaling successfully to the larger PDBP group. As noted in the January 2026 AMP PDRD Newsletter: “Led by Drs. David Craig, Kendall Jensen, Erez Eitan, and Xianjun Dong, this collaborative study… builds on preliminary findings from the AMP PD BioFIND EV RNAseq pilot study.”

Broader Implications for Biomarker Discovery and Precision Neurology

By focusing on neuron-specific exRNA, the dataset uncovers molecular signatures potentially linked to:

• Early neuronal stress responses (e.g., synaptic loss, mitochondrial dysfunction).
• PD progression markers (e.g., pathways involving α-synuclein, inflammation, or autophagy).
• Differentiation from related disorders (e.g., multiple system atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy).

Researchers can now:

• Identify brain-enriched transcripts or miRNAs as candidate biomarkers for early detection, prognosis, or treatment monitoring.
• Perform differential expression analyses across timepoints to track longitudinal changes.
• Integrate with AMP PDRD’s unified platform for multi-omic modeling (e.g., correlating EV RNA with genetic risk variants or proteomic profiles).
• Validate liquid biopsy concepts toward clinical translation.

For NeuroDex, this public release validates ExoSORT’s utility in large-scale, collaborative settings and supports our mission to develop blood-based diagnostics for PD, Alzheimer’s, ALS (e.g., TDP-43 monitoring), and other conditions. Our platform extends to services like custom biomarker panels, RNA sequencing, proteomics on NDEVs, and pathway analysis (NF-kB, AKT).

How to Access and Engage with the Dataset

The complete Extracellular Vesicle (EV) RNA-Sequencing dataset—including processed files, metadata, isolation/sequencing protocols, and workflows—is openly available on the AMP PDRD Knowledge Portal: https://amp-pdrd.org/data/EV-RNA-Seq

Despite ongoing administrative reviews noted on the portal, it remains fully operational for PD-related data access and contributions. Researchers are encouraged to download and analyze the harmonized data using preferred tools.

Looking Forward: Accelerating Breakthroughs Together

This milestone exemplifies the power of open science and collaboration in tackling neurodegenerative challenges. By making brain-derived molecular data publicly accessible, AMP PDRD and partners like NeuroDex are democratizing discovery and hastening the development of reliable, non-invasive tools for precision diagnosis and therapy.

NeuroDex remains dedicated to translating these advances into real-world impact. We welcome inquiries for partnerships, biomarker discovery projects, ExoSORT-based services, or collaborations on NDEV research. Visit neurodex.co or contact us to learn more.

Together, we’re opening a clearer window into brain health—one vesicle at a time.