Overview of All-Cause Mortality Biomarkers in Plasma Proteomics – UK Biobank Focus

All-cause mortality refers to death from any cause, and identifying circulating biomarkers for risk stratification is a cornerstone of preventive medicine. Large-scale plasma proteomics studies, particularly from the UK Biobank, have identified proteins that powerfully predict mortality risk years in advance—even in apparently healthy individuals.

This 2025 review focuses on five core biomarkers—PLAUR, SERPINA3, CRIM1, DDR1, and LTBP2—consistently ranked among the strongest predictors in recent UK Biobank analyses. We summarize their normal functions, pathological roles, hazard ratios, and provide direct links to abinScience's high-quality recombinant proteins and antibodies.

Five Core Plasma Biomarkers of All-Cause Mortality

*HR = hazard ratio per 1-SD increase in protein level (adjusted models, UK Biobank)

Per-Marker Notes: Mechanisms & Experimental Design Suggestions

2024–2025 Latest Research Progress

abinScience Mortality Biomarker Research Reagents 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the top plasma protein biomarkers for all-cause mortality?

Large UK Biobank plasma proteomics studies have identified a small set of proteins that strongly predict 5–10-year all-cause mortality. In fully adjusted models, SERPINA1, PLAUR and SERPINA3 show the largest hazard ratios for 5-year risk, while PLAUR, SERPINA3, CRIM1, DDR1 and LTBP2 form part of the most predictive panels and also display high effect sizes across cause-specific (cardiovascular and cancer) mortality models.

How do PLAUR and SERPINA3 predict 5-year mortality risk?

PLAUR encodes the urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR), linking fibrinolysis, extracellular matrix degradation and inflammation; in the UK Biobank analysis it shows a 5-year all-cause mortality hazard ratio of about 4.45. SERPINA3 is an acute-phase serine protease inhibitor that modulates inflammatory and tumour-related protease activity and has a 5-year all-cause mortality hazard ratio of about 4.33. Panels that include these proteins improve risk prediction beyond traditional biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP).

How can researchers measure these mortality biomarkers in plasma?

These biomarkers can be measured using high-throughput proteomics platforms (such as Olink) or via targeted ELISA and multiplex immunoassays built from recombinant protein standards and validated antibodies, for example those available from abinScience.