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Koivumäki M, Ekblad L, Lantero-Rodriguez J, Ashton NJ, Karikari TK, Helin S, Parkkola R, Lötjönen J, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Rinne JO, Snellman A. Blood biomarkers of neurodegeneration associate differently with amyloid deposition, medial temporal atrophy, and cerebrovascular changes in APOE ε4-enriched cognitively unimpaired elderly. Alzheimers Res Ther 2024; 16:112. [PMID: 38762725 PMCID: PMC11102270 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-024-01477-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques, neurofibrillary tau tangles, and neurodegeneration in the brain parenchyma. Here, we aimed to (i) assess differences in blood and imaging biomarkers used to evaluate neurodegeneration among cognitively unimpaired APOE ε4 homozygotes, heterozygotes, and non-carriers with varying risk for sporadic AD, and (ii) to determine how different cerebral pathologies (i.e., Aβ deposition, medial temporal atrophy, and cerebrovascular pathology) contribute to blood biomarker concentrations in this sample. METHODS Sixty APOE ε4 homozygotes (n = 19), heterozygotes (n = 21), and non-carriers (n = 20) ranging from 60 to 75 years, were recruited in collaboration with Auria biobank (Turku, Finland). Participants underwent Aβ-PET ([11C]PiB), structural brain MRI including T1-weighted and T2-FLAIR sequences, and blood sampling for measuring serum neurofilament light chain (NfL), plasma total tau (t-tau), plasma N-terminal tau fragments (NTA-tau) and plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). [11C]PiB standardized uptake value ratio was calculated for regions typical for Aβ accumulation in AD. MRI images were analysed for regional volumes, atrophy scores, and volumes of white matter hyperintensities. Differences in biomarker levels and associations between blood and imaging biomarkers were tested using uni- and multivariable linear models (unadjusted and adjusted for age and sex). RESULTS Serum NfL concentration was increased in APOE ε4 homozygotes compared with non-carriers (mean 21.4 pg/ml (SD 9.5) vs. 15.5 pg/ml (3.8), p = 0.013), whereas other blood biomarkers did not differ between the groups (p > 0.077 for all). From imaging biomarkers, hippocampal volume was significantly decreased in APOE ε4 homozygotes compared with non-carriers (6.71 ml (0.86) vs. 7.2 ml (0.7), p = 0.029). In the whole sample, blood biomarker levels were differently predicted by the three measured cerebral pathologies; serum NfL concentration was associated with cerebrovascular pathology and medial temporal atrophy, while plasma NTA-tau associated with medial temporal atrophy. Plasma GFAP showed significant association with both medial temporal atrophy and Aβ pathology. Plasma t-tau concentration did not associate with any of the measured pathologies. CONCLUSIONS Only increased serum NfL concentrations and decreased hippocampal volume was observed in cognitively unimpaired APOEε4 homozygotes compared to non-carriers. In the whole population the concentrations of blood biomarkers were affected in distinct ways by different pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikko Koivumäki
- Turku PET Centre, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
| | - Laura Ekblad
- Turku PET Centre, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Juan Lantero-Rodriguez
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Nicholas J Ashton
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Centre for Age-Related Medicine, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King's College London, London, UK
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health & Biomedical Research Unit for Dementia at South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation, London, UK
| | - Thomas K Karikari
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Semi Helin
- Turku PET Centre, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Riitta Parkkola
- Department of Radiology, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | | | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hong Kong, China
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Juha O Rinne
- Turku PET Centre, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- InFLAMES Research Flagship Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Anniina Snellman
- Turku PET Centre, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
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Zhang Y, Ferreira PCL, Jacobsen E, Bellaver B, Pascoal TA, Snitz BE, Chang CCH, Villemagne VL, Ganguli M, Karikari TK. Association of plasma biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders with cognition and cognitive decline: The MYHAT population-based study. Alzheimers Dement 2024. [PMID: 38753951 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Plasma biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias predict global cognitive performance and decline over time; it remains unclear how they associate with changes in different dementia syndromes affecting distinct cognitive domains. METHODS In a prospective study with repeated assessments of a randomly selected population-based cohort (n = 787, median age 73), we evaluated performance and decline in different cognitive domains over up to 8 years in relation to plasma concentrations of amyloid beta 42/40 (Aβ42/40) ratio, phosphorylated tau181 (p-tau181), neurofilament light chain (NfL), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). RESULTS Cross-sectionally, memory showed the strongest associations with p-tau181, and attention, executive, and visuospatial functions with NfL. Longitudinally, memory decline was distinguishable with all biomarker profiles dichotomized according to data-driven cutoffs, most efficiently with Aβ42/40. GFAP and Aβ42/40 were the best discriminators of decline patterns in language and visuospatial functions, respectively. DISCUSSION These relatively non-invasive tests may be beneficial for clinical screening after replication in other populations and validation through neuroimaging or cerebrospinal fluid analysis. HIGHLIGHTS We performed a prospective study with up to 8 years of repeated domain-specific cognitive assessments and baseline plasma Alzheimer's disease and related dementias biomarker measurements in a randomly selected population-based cohort. We considered distinct growth curves of trajectories of different cognitive domains and survival bias induced by missing data by adding quadratic time and applying joint modeling technique. Cross-sectionally, memory showed the strongest associations with plasma phosphorylated tau181, while attention, executive, and visuospatial functions were most strongly associated with neurofilament light chain. Longitudinally, memory and visuospatial declines were most efficiently distinguished by dichotomized amyloid beta 42/40 profile among all plasma biomarkers, while language was by dichotomized glial fibrillary acidic protein. These relatively non-invasive tests may be beneficial for clinical screening; however, they will need replication in other populations and validation through neuroimaging and/or cerebrospinal fluid assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingjin Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Pamela C L Ferreira
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Erin Jacobsen
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Bruna Bellaver
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Tharick A Pascoal
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Beth E Snitz
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Chung-Chou H Chang
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Victor L Villemagne
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mary Ganguli
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Thomas K Karikari
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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Wang S, Xie S, Zheng Q, Zhang Z, Wang T, Zhang G. Biofluid biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1380237. [PMID: 38659704 PMCID: PMC11039951 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1380237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disease, with a complex pathogenesis and an irreversible course. Therefore, the early diagnosis of AD is particularly important for the intervention, prevention, and treatment of the disease. Based on the different pathophysiological mechanisms of AD, the research progress of biofluid biomarkers are classified and reviewed. In the end, the challenges and perspectives of future research are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sensen Wang
- Shandong Yinfeng Academy of Life Science, Jinan, Shandong, China
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Sitan Xie
- Shandong Yinfeng Academy of Life Science, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Qinpin Zheng
- Shandong Yinfeng Academy of Life Science, Jinan, Shandong, China
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Zhihui Zhang
- Shandong Yinfeng Academy of Life Science, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Tian Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Guirong Zhang
- Shandong Yinfeng Academy of Life Science, Jinan, Shandong, China
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong, China
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Huber H, Blennow K, Zetterberg H, Boada M, Jeromin A, Weninger H, Nuñez‐Llaves R, Aguilera N, Ramis M, Simrén J, Nilsson J, Lantero‐Rodriguez J, Orellana A, García‐Gutiérrez F, Morató X, Ashton NJ, Montoliu‐Gaya L. Biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease and neurodegeneration in dried blood spots-A new collection method for remote settings. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:2340-2352. [PMID: 38284555 PMCID: PMC11032540 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We aimed to evaluate the precision of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and neurodegeneration biomarker measurements from venous dried plasma spots (DPSv enous) for the diagnosis and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases in remote settings. METHODS In a discovery (n = 154) and a validation cohort (n = 115), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP); neurofilament light (NfL); amyloid beta (Aβ) 40, Aβ42; and phosphorylated tau (p-tau181 and p-tau217) were measured in paired DPSvenous and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid plasma samples with single-molecule array. In the validation cohort, a subset of participants (n = 99) had cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers. RESULTS All DPSvenous and plasma analytes correlated significantly, except for Aβ42. In the validation cohort, DPSvenous GFAP, NfL, p-tau181, and p-tau217 differed between CSF Aβ-positive and -negative individuals and were associated with worsening cognition. DISCUSSION Our data suggest that measuring blood biomarkers related to AD pathology and neurodegeneration from DPSvenous extends the utility of blood-based biomarkers to remote settings with simplified sampling conditions, storage, and logistics. HIGHLIGHTS A wide array of biomarkers related to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and neurodegeneration were detectable in dried plasma spots (DPSvenous). DPSvenous biomarkers correlated with standard procedures and cognitive status. DPSvenous biomarkers had a good diagnostic accuracy discriminating amyloid status. Our findings show the potential interchangeability of DPSvenous and plasma sampling. DPSvenous may facilitate remote and temperature-independent sampling for AD biomarker measurement. Innovative tools for blood biomarker sampling may help recognizing the earliest changes of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Huber
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and Physiologythe Shagreens Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and Physiologythe Shagreens Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry LaboratorySahlgrenska University HospitalMölndalSweden
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and Physiologythe Shagreens Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry LaboratorySahlgrenska University HospitalMölndalSweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative DiseaseUCL Institute of NeurologyLondonUK
- UK Dementia Research InstituteUCLLondonUK
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative DiseasesHong KongChina
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research CenterUniversity of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public HealthMadisonWisconsinUSA
| | - Mercé Boada
- Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED)Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIMadridSpain
- Ace Alzheimer Center BarcelonaInternational University of Catalunya (UIC)BarcelonaSpain
| | | | - Haley Weninger
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and Physiologythe Shagreens Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
| | - Raul Nuñez‐Llaves
- Ace Alzheimer Center BarcelonaInternational University of Catalunya (UIC)BarcelonaSpain
| | - Núria Aguilera
- Ace Alzheimer Center BarcelonaInternational University of Catalunya (UIC)BarcelonaSpain
| | - Maribel Ramis
- Ace Alzheimer Center BarcelonaInternational University of Catalunya (UIC)BarcelonaSpain
| | - Joel Simrén
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and Physiologythe Shagreens Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
| | - Johanna Nilsson
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and Physiologythe Shagreens Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
| | - Juan Lantero‐Rodriguez
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and Physiologythe Shagreens Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
| | - Adelina Orellana
- Ace Alzheimer Center BarcelonaInternational University of Catalunya (UIC)BarcelonaSpain
| | | | - Xavier Morató
- Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED)Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIMadridSpain
- Ace Alzheimer Center BarcelonaInternational University of Catalunya (UIC)BarcelonaSpain
| | - Nicholas J. Ashton
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and Physiologythe Shagreens Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
- Centre for Age‐Related MedicineStavanger University HospitalStavangerNorway
| | - Laia Montoliu‐Gaya
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and Physiologythe Shagreens Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
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Fazeli B, Gómez de San José N, Jesse S, Senel M, Oeckl P, Erhart DK, Ludolph AC, Otto M, Halbgebauer S, Tumani H. Quantification of blood glial fibrillary acidic protein using a second-generation microfluidic assay. Validation and comparative analysis with two established assays. Clin Chem Lab Med 2024; 0:cclm-2023-1256. [PMID: 38353147 DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2023-1256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Increased levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in blood have been identified as a valuable biomarker for some neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis. However, most blood GFAP quantifications so far were performed using the same bead-based assay, and to date a routine clinical application is lacking. METHODS In this study, we validated a novel second-generation (2nd gen) Ella assay to quantify serum GFAP. Furthermore, we compared its performance with a bead-based single molecule array (Simoa) and a homemade GFAP assay in a clinical cohort of neurological diseases, including 210 patients. RESULTS Validation experiments resulted in an intra-assay variation of 10 %, an inter-assay of 12 %, a limit of detection of 0.9 pg/mL, a lower limit of quantification of 2.8 pg/mL, and less than 20 % variation in serum samples exposed to up to five freeze-thaw cycles, 120 h at 4 °C and room temperature. Measurement of the clinical cohort using all assays revealed the same pattern of GFAP distribution in the different diagnostic groups. Moreover, we observed a strong correlation between the 2nd gen Ella and Simoa (r=0.91 (95 % CI: 0.88-0.93), p<0.0001) and the homemade immunoassay (r=0.77 (95 % CI: 0.70-0.82), p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate a high reliability, precision and reproducibility of the 2nd gen Ella assay. Although a higher assay sensitivity for Simoa was observed, the new microfluidic assay might have the potential to be used for GFAP analysis in daily clinical workups due to its robustness and ease of use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Badrieh Fazeli
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Sarah Jesse
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, Germany
| | - Makbule Senel
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, Germany
| | - Patrick Oeckl
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE e.V.), Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Albert C Ludolph
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE e.V.), Ulm, Germany
| | - Markus Otto
- Department of Neurology, Halle University Hospital, Halle, Germany
| | - Steffen Halbgebauer
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE e.V.), Ulm, Germany
| | - Hayrettin Tumani
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE e.V.), Ulm, Germany
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Brum WS, Ashton NJ, Simrén J, di Molfetta G, Karikari TK, Benedet AL, Zimmer ER, Lantero-Rodriguez J, Montoliu-Gaya L, Jeromin A, Aarsand AK, Bartlett WA, Calle PF, Coşkun A, Díaz-Garzón J, Jonker N, Zetterberg H, Sandberg S, Carobene A, Blennow K. Biological variation estimates of Alzheimer's disease plasma biomarkers in healthy individuals. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:1284-1297. [PMID: 37985230 PMCID: PMC10916965 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Blood biomarkers have proven useful in Alzheimer's disease (AD) research. However, little is known about their biological variation (BV), which improves the interpretation of individual-level data. METHODS We measured plasma amyloid beta (Aβ42, Aβ40), phosphorylated tau (p-tau181, p-tau217, p-tau231), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and neurofilament light chain (NfL) in plasma samples collected weekly over 10 weeks from 20 participants aged 40 to 60 years from the European Biological Variation Study. We estimated within- (CVI ) and between-subject (CVG ) BV, analytical variation, and reference change values (RCV). RESULTS Biomarkers presented considerable variability in CVI and CVG . Aβ42/Aβ40 had the lowest CVI (≈ 3%) and p-tau181 the highest (≈ 16%), while others ranged from 6% to 10%. Most RCVs ranged from 20% to 30% (decrease) and 25% to 40% (increase). DISCUSSION BV estimates for AD plasma biomarkers can potentially refine their clinical and research interpretation. RCVs might be useful for detecting significant changes between serial measurements when monitoring early disease progression or interventions. Highlights Plasma amyloid beta (Aβ42/Aβ40) presents the lowest between- and within-subject biological variation, but also changes the least in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients versus controls. Plasma phosphorylated tau variants significantly vary in their within-subject biological variation, but their substantial fold-changes in AD likely limits the impact of their variability. Plasma neurofilament light chain and glial fibrillary acidic protein demonstrate high between-subject variation, the impact of which will depend on clinical context. Reference change values can potentially be useful in monitoring early disease progression and the safety/efficacy of interventions on an individual level. Serial sampling revealed that unexpectedly high values in heathy individuals can be observed, which urges caution when interpreting AD plasma biomarkers based on a single test result.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wagner S Brum
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Nicholas J Ashton
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience Maurice Wohl Institute Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health and Biomedical Research Unit for Dementia at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation, London, UK
- Centre for Age-Related Medicine, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Joel Simrén
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Guiglielmo di Molfetta
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Thomas K Karikari
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Andrea L Benedet
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Eduardo R Zimmer
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- McGill Centre for Studies in Aging, McGill University, Verdun, Quebec, Canada
| | - Juan Lantero-Rodriguez
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Laia Montoliu-Gaya
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | | | - Aasne K Aarsand
- European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine Working Group on Biological Variation, Milan, Italy
- The Norwegian Organization for Quality Improvement of Laboratory Examinations (NOKLUS), Haraldsplass Deaconess Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - William A Bartlett
- European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine Working Group on Biological Variation, Milan, Italy
- School of Science and Engineering, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Pilar Fernández Calle
- European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine Working Group on Biological Variation, Milan, Italy
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Abdurrahman Coşkun
- European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine Working Group on Biological Variation, Milan, Italy
- School of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Jorge Díaz-Garzón
- European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine Working Group on Biological Variation, Milan, Italy
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Niels Jonker
- European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine Working Group on Biological Variation, Milan, Italy
- Certe, Wilhelmina Ziekenhuis Assen, Assen, the Netherlands
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hong Kong, China
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Sverre Sandberg
- European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine Working Group on Biological Variation, Milan, Italy
- The Norwegian Organization for Quality Improvement of Laboratory Examinations (NOKLUS), Haraldsplass Deaconess Hospital, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Global Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Anna Carobene
- European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine Working Group on Biological Variation, Milan, Italy
- Laboratory Medicine, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
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Zheng X, Yang J, Hou Y, Shi X, Liu K. Prediction of clinical progression in nervous system diseases: plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Eur J Med Res 2024; 29:51. [PMID: 38216970 PMCID: PMC10785482 DOI: 10.1186/s40001-023-01631-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), an intracellular type III intermediate filament protein, provides structural support and maintains the mechanical integrity of astrocytes. It is predominantly found in the astrocytes which are the most abundant subtypes of glial cells in the brain and spinal cord. As a marker protein of astrocytes, GFAP may exert a variety of physiological effects in neurological diseases. For example, previous published literatures showed that autoimmune GFAP astrocytopathy is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Moreover, the studies of GFAP in brain tumors mainly focus on the predictive value of tumor volume. Furthermore, using biomarkers in the early setting will lead to a simplified and standardized way to estimate the poor outcome in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and ischemic stroke. Recently, observational studies revealed that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) GFAP, as a valuable potential diagnostic biomarker for neurosyphilis, had a sensitivity of 76.60% and specificity of 85.56%. The reason plasma GFAP could serve as a promising biomarker for diagnosis and prediction of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is that it effectively distinguished AD dementia from multiple neurodegenerative diseases and predicted the individual risk of AD progression. In addition, GFAP can be helpful in differentiating relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) versus progressive MS (PMS). This review article aims to provide an overview of GFAP in the prediction of clinical progression in neuroinflammation, brain tumors, TBI, ischemic stroke, genetic disorders, neurodegeneration and other diseases in the CNS and to explore the potential therapeutic methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiao Zheng
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Xinmin Street 1#, Changchun, China
| | - Jingyao Yang
- Institute of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Yiwei Hou
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Xinmin Street 1#, Changchun, China
| | - Xinye Shi
- Department of Cardiology, Shanxi Yingkang Yisheng General Hospital, Renmin North Road 5188#, Yuncheng, China
| | - Kangding Liu
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Xinmin Street 1#, Changchun, China.
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Edwards NC, Lao PJ, Alshikho MJ, Ericsson OM, Rizvi B, Petersen ME, O’Bryant S, Flores-Aguilar L, Simoes S, Mapstone M, Tudorascu DL, Janelidze S, Hansson O, Handen BL, Christian BT, Lee JH, Lai F, Rosas HD, Zaman S, Lott IT, Yassa MA, Gutierrez J, Wilcock DM, Head E, Brickman AM. Cerebrovascular disease drives Alzheimer plasma biomarker concentrations in adults with Down syndrome. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.11.28.23298693. [PMID: 38076904 PMCID: PMC10705616 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.28.23298693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Importance By age 40 years over 90% of adults with Down syndrome (DS) have Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology and most progress to dementia. Despite having few systemic vascular risk factors, individuals with DS have elevated cerebrovascular disease (CVD) markers that track with the clinical progression of AD, suggesting a role for CVD that is hypothesized to be mediated by inflammatory factors. Objective To examine the pathways through which small vessel CVD contributes to AD-related pathophysiology and neurodegeneration in adults with DS. Design Cross sectional analysis of neuroimaging, plasma, and clinical data. Setting Participants were enrolled in Alzheimer's Biomarker Consortium - Down Syndrome (ABC-DS), a multisite study of AD in adults with DS. Participants One hundred eighty-five participants (mean [SD] age=45.2 [9.3] years) with available MRI and plasma biomarker data were included. White matter hyperintensity (WMH) volumes were derived from T2-weighted FLAIR MRI scans and plasma biomarker concentrations of amyloid beta (Aβ42/Aβ40), phosphorylated tau (p-tau217), astrocytosis (glial fibrillary acidic protein, GFAP), and neurodegeneration (neurofilament light chain, NfL) were measured with ultrasensitive immunoassays. Main Outcomes and Measures We examined the bivariate relationships of WMH, Aβ42/Aβ40, p-tau217, and GFAP with age-residualized NfL across AD diagnostic groups. A series of mediation and path analyses examined causal pathways linking WMH and AD pathophysiology to promote neurodegeneration in the total sample and groups stratified by clinical diagnosis. Results There was a direct and indirect bidirectional effect through GFAP of WMH on p-tau217 concentration, which was associated with NfL concentration in the entire sample. Among cognitively stable participants, WMH was directly and indirectly, through GFAP, associated with p-tau217 concentration, and in those with MCI, there was a direct effect of WMH on p-tau217 and NfL concentrations. There were no associations of WMH with biomarker concentrations among those diagnosed with dementia. Conclusions and Relevance The findings suggest that among individuals with DS, CVD promotes neurodegeneration by increasing astrocytosis and tau pathophysiology in the presymptomatic phases of AD. This work joins an emerging literature that implicates CVD and its interface with neuroinflammation as a core pathological feature of AD in adults with DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie C. Edwards
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Patrick J. Lao
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Mohamad J. Alshikho
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Olivia M. Ericsson
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Batool Rizvi
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | | | - Sid O’Bryant
- University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
| | - Lisi Flores-Aguilar
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Irvine School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Sabrina Simoes
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Mark Mapstone
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Dana L. Tudorascu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Shorena Janelidze
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Oskar Hansson
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden
| | | | | | - Joseph H. Lee
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Florence Lai
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - H Diana Rosas
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Center for Neuroimaging of Aging and neurodegenerative Diseases, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Shahid Zaman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ira T. Lott
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Michael A. Yassa
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - José Gutierrez
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Donna M. Wilcock
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Department of Neurology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Elizabeth Head
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Irvine School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Adam M. Brickman
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
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9
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Loveland PM, Yu JJ, Churilov L, Yassi N, Watson R. Investigation of Inflammation in Lewy Body Dementia: A Systematic Scoping Review. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12116. [PMID: 37569491 PMCID: PMC10418754 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory mechanisms are increasingly recognized as important contributors to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, including Lewy body dementia (LBD). Our objectives were to, firstly, review inflammation investigation methods in LBD (dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease dementia) and, secondly, identify alterations in inflammatory signals in LBD compared to people without neurodegenerative disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. A systematic scoping review was performed by searching major electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and PSYCHInfo) to identify relevant human studies. Of the 2509 results screened, 80 studies were included. Thirty-six studies analyzed postmortem brain tissue, and 44 investigated living subjects with cerebrospinal fluid, blood, and/or brain imaging assessments. Largely cross-sectional data were available, although two longitudinal clinical studies investigated prodromal Lewy body disease. Investigations were focused on inflammatory immune cell activity (microglia, astrocytes, and lymphocytes) and inflammatory molecules (cytokines, etc.). Results of the included studies identified innate and adaptive immune system contributions to inflammation associated with Lewy body pathology and clinical disease features. Different signals in early and late-stage disease, with possible late immune senescence and dystrophic glial cell populations, were identified. The strength of these associations is limited by the varying methodologies, small study sizes, and cross-sectional nature of the data. Longitudinal studies investigating associations with clinical and other biomarker outcomes are needed to improve understanding of inflammatory activity over the course of LBD. This could identify markers of disease activity and support therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula M. Loveland
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3000, Australia
- Department of Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3000, Australia
| | - Jenny J. Yu
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3000, Australia
- Department of Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3000, Australia
| | - Leonid Churilov
- Department of Neurology, Melbourne Brain Centre, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3000, Australia
- Melbourne Medical School, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3000, Australia
| | - Nawaf Yassi
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3000, Australia
- Department of Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3000, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Melbourne Brain Centre, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3000, Australia
| | - Rosie Watson
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3000, Australia
- Department of Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3000, Australia
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