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Chen Y, Wang Y, Tao Q, Lu P, Meng F, Zhuang L, Qiao S, Zhang Y, Luo B, Liu Y, Peng G. Diagnostic value of isolated plasma biomarkers and its combination in neurodegenerative dementias: A multicenter cohort study. Clin Chim Acta 2024; 558:118784. [PMID: 38588788 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2024.118784] [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: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plasma amyloid-β (Aβ), phosphorylated tau-181 (p-tau181), neurofilament light (NfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) potentially aid in the diagnosis of neurodegenerative dementias. We aim to conduct a comprehensive comparison between different biomarkers and their combination, which is lacking, in a multicenter Chinese dementia cohort consisting of Alzheimer's disease (AD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). METHODS We enrolled 92 demented patients [64 AD, 16 FTD, and 12 PSP with dementia] and 20 healthy controls (HC). Their plasma Αβ, p-tau181, NfL, and GFAP were detected by highly sensitive-single molecule immunoassays. Αβ pathology in patients was measured by cerebrospinal fluid or/and amyloid positron emission tomography. RESULTS All plasma biomarkers tested were significantly altered in dementia patients compared with HC, especially Aβ42/Aβ40 and NfL showed significant performance in distinguishing AD from HC. A combination of plasma Aβ42/Aβ40, p-tau181, NfL, and GFAP could discriminate FTD or PSP well from HC and was able to distinguish AD and non-AD (FTD/PSP). CONCLUSIONS Our results confirmed the diagnostic performance of individual plasma biomarkers Aβ42/Aβ40, p-tau181, NfL, and GFAP in Chinese dementia patients and noted that a combination of these biomarkers may be more accurate in identifying FTD/PSP patients and distinguishing AD from non-AD dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Chen
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yunyun Wang
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Department of Neurology, Shengzhou People's Hospital, Shaoxing, China
| | - Qingqing Tao
- Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Peilin Lu
- Department of Neurology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fanxia Meng
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liying Zhuang
- Department of Neurology, the Affiliated Zhejiang Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Song Qiao
- Department of Neurology, the Affiliated Zhejiang Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Geriatrics, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Benyan Luo
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Neurology, Saarland University, KirrbergerstraBe Geb., 90D-66421 Homburg/Sarr, German.
| | - Guoping Peng
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
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2
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Khalil M, Teunissen CE, Lehmann S, Otto M, Piehl F, Ziemssen T, Bittner S, Sormani MP, Gattringer T, Abu-Rumeileh S, Thebault S, Abdelhak A, Green A, Benkert P, Kappos L, Comabella M, Tumani H, Freedman MS, Petzold A, Blennow K, Zetterberg H, Leppert D, Kuhle J. Neurofilaments as biomarkers in neurological disorders - towards clinical application. Nat Rev Neurol 2024; 20:269-287. [PMID: 38609644 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-024-00955-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Neurofilament proteins have been validated as specific body fluid biomarkers of neuro-axonal injury. The advent of highly sensitive analytical platforms that enable reliable quantification of neurofilaments in blood samples and simplify longitudinal follow-up has paved the way for the development of neurofilaments as a biomarker in clinical practice. Potential applications include assessment of disease activity, monitoring of treatment responses, and determining prognosis in many acute and chronic neurological disorders as well as their use as an outcome measure in trials of novel therapies. Progress has now moved the measurement of neurofilaments to the doorstep of routine clinical practice for the evaluation of individuals. In this Review, we first outline current knowledge on the structure and function of neurofilaments. We then discuss analytical and statistical approaches and challenges in determining neurofilament levels in different clinical contexts and assess the implications of neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels in normal ageing and the confounding factors that need to be considered when interpreting NfL measures. In addition, we summarize the current value and potential clinical applications of neurofilaments as a biomarker of neuro-axonal damage in a range of neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer disease, frontotemporal dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, stroke and cerebrovascular disease, traumatic brain injury, and Parkinson disease. We also consider the steps needed to complete the translation of neurofilaments from the laboratory to the management of neurological diseases in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Khalil
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
| | - Charlotte E Teunissen
- Neurochemistry Laboratory Department of Laboratory Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sylvain Lehmann
- LBPC-PPC, Université de Montpellier, INM INSERM, IRMB CHU de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Markus Otto
- Department of Neurology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Fredrik Piehl
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tjalf Ziemssen
- Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan Bittner
- Department of Neurology, Focus Program Translational Neuroscience (FTN), and Immunotherapy (FZI), Rhine-Main Neuroscience Network (rmn2), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Maria Pia Sormani
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Thomas Gattringer
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Division of Neuroradiology, Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Samir Abu-Rumeileh
- Department of Neurology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Simon Thebault
- Multiple Sclerosis Division, Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ahmed Abdelhak
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ari Green
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Pascal Benkert
- Multiple Sclerosis Centre and Research Center for Clinical Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience (RC2NB), Departments of Biomedicine and Clinical Research, University Hospital and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ludwig Kappos
- Multiple Sclerosis Centre and Research Center for Clinical Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience (RC2NB), Departments of Biomedicine and Clinical Research, University Hospital and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Manuel Comabella
- Neurology Department, Multiple Sclerosis Centre of Catalonia, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Hayrettin Tumani
- Department of Neurology, CSF Laboratory, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, Germany
| | - Mark S Freedman
- Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Axel Petzold
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, MS Centre and Neuro-ophthalmology Expertise Centre Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and the Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Paris Brain Institute, ICM, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
- Neurodegenerative Disorder Research Center, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, and Department of Neurology, Institute on Aging and Brain Disorders, University of Science and Technology of China and First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei, P. R. China
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, 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, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - David Leppert
- Multiple Sclerosis Centre and Research Center for Clinical Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience (RC2NB), Departments of Biomedicine and Clinical Research, University Hospital and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jens Kuhle
- Multiple Sclerosis Centre and Research Center for Clinical Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience (RC2NB), Departments of Biomedicine and Clinical Research, University Hospital and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
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3
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Shahim P, Norato G, Sinaii N, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Chan L, Grunseich C. Neurofilaments in Sporadic and Familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:496. [PMID: 38674431 PMCID: PMC11050235 DOI: 10.3390/genes15040496] [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: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurofilament proteins have been implicated to be altered in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The objectives of this study were to assess the diagnostic and prognostic utility of neurofilaments in ALS. METHODS Studies were conducted in electronic databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane CENTRAL) from inception to 17 August 2023, and investigated neurofilament light (NfL) or phosphorylated neurofilament heavy chain (pNfH) in ALS. The study design, enrolment criteria, neurofilament concentrations, test accuracy, relationship between neurofilaments in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood, and clinical outcome were recorded. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO, CRD42022376939. RESULTS Sixty studies with 8801 participants were included. Both NfL and pNfH measured in CSF showed high sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing ALS from disease mimics. Both NfL and pNfH measured in CSF correlated with their corresponding levels in blood (plasma or serum); however, there were stronger correlations between CSF NfL and blood NfL. NfL measured in blood exhibited high sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing ALS from controls. Both higher levels of NfL and pNfH either measured in blood or CSF were correlated with more severe symptoms as assessed by the ALS Functional Rating Scale Revised score and with a faster disease progression rate; however, only blood NfL levels were associated with shorter survival. DISCUSSION Both NfL and pNfH measured in CSF or blood show high diagnostic utility and association with ALS functional scores and disease progression, while CSF NfL correlates strongly with blood (either plasma or serum) and is also associated with survival, supporting its use in clinical diagnostics and prognosis. Future work must be conducted in a prospective manner with standardized bio-specimen collection methods and analytical platforms, further improvement in immunoassays for quantification of pNfH in blood, and the identification of cut-offs across the ALS spectrum and controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pashtun Shahim
- Rehabilitation Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
- National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (G.N.); (C.G.)
- Department of Neurology, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC 20007, USA
- The Military Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative (MTBI2), Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
| | - Gina Norato
- National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (G.N.); (C.G.)
| | - Ninet Sinaii
- Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology Service, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 431 41 Molndal, Sweden; (H.Z.); (K.B.)
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahglrenska University Hospital, 431 41 Molndal, Sweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong 518172, China
- Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53792, USA
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 431 41 Molndal, Sweden; (H.Z.); (K.B.)
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahglrenska University Hospital, 431 41 Molndal, Sweden
| | - Leighton Chan
- Rehabilitation Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
| | - Christopher Grunseich
- National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (G.N.); (C.G.)
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4
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Kumar S, Mehan S, Khan Z, Das Gupta G, Narula AS. Guggulsterone Selectively Modulates STAT-3, mTOR, and PPAR-Gamma Signaling in a Methylmercury-Exposed Experimental Neurotoxicity: Evidence from CSF, Blood Plasma, and Brain Samples. Mol Neurobiol 2024:10.1007/s12035-023-03902-x. [PMID: 38170440 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03902-x] [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: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a paralytic disease that damages the brain and spinal cord motor neurons. Several clinical and preclinical studies have found that methylmercury (MeHg+) causes ALS. In ALS, MeHg+-induced neurotoxicity manifests as oligodendrocyte destruction; myelin basic protein (MBP) deficiency leads to axonal death. ALS development has been connected to an increase in signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT-3), a mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and a decrease in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma. Guggulsterone (GST), a plant-derived chemical produced from Commiphorawhighitii resin, has been found to protect against ALS by modulating these signaling pathways. Vitamin D3 (VitD3) deficiency has been related to oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPC) damage, demyelination, and white matter deterioration, which results in motor neuron death. As a result, the primary goal of this work was to investigate the therapeutic potential of GST by altering STAT-3, mTOR, and PPAR-gamma levels in a MeHg+-exposed experimental model of ALS in adult rats. The GST30 and 60 mg/kg oral treatments significantly improved the behavioral, motor, and cognitive dysfunctions and increased remyelination, as proven by the Luxol Fast Blue stain (LFB), and reduced neuroinflammation as measured by histological examinations. Furthermore, the co-administration of VitD3 exhibits moderate efficacy when administered in combination with GST60. Our results show that GST protects neurons by decreasing STAT-3 and mTOR levels while increasing PPAR-gamma protein levels in ALS rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Kumar
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy (An Autonomous College), NAAC Accredited "A" Grade College, GT Road, Ghal-Kalan, Moga, 142 001, Punjab, India
- IK Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, Punjab, 144603, India
| | - Sidharth Mehan
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy (An Autonomous College), NAAC Accredited "A" Grade College, GT Road, Ghal-Kalan, Moga, 142 001, Punjab, India.
- IK Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, Punjab, 144603, India.
| | - Zuber Khan
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy (An Autonomous College), NAAC Accredited "A" Grade College, GT Road, Ghal-Kalan, Moga, 142 001, Punjab, India
- IK Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, Punjab, 144603, India
| | - Ghanshyam Das Gupta
- IK Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, Punjab, 144603, India
- Department of Pharmaceutics, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, Punjab, India
| | - Acharan S Narula
- Narula Research, LLC, 107 Boulder Bluff, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA
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5
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Rogers ML, Schultz DW, Karnaros V, Shepheard SR. Urinary biomarkers for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: candidates, opportunities and considerations. Brain Commun 2023; 5:fcad287. [PMID: 37946793 PMCID: PMC10631861 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a relentless neurodegenerative disease that is mostly fatal within 3-5 years and is diagnosed on evidence of progressive upper and lower motor neuron degeneration. Around 15% of those with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis also have frontotemporal degeneration, and gene mutations account for ∼10%. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a variable heterogeneous disease, and it is becoming increasingly clear that numerous different disease processes culminate in the final degeneration of motor neurons. There is a profound need to clearly articulate and measure pathological process that occurs. Such information is needed to tailor treatments to individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis according to an individual's pathological fingerprint. For new candidate therapies, there is also a need for methods to select patients according to expected treatment outcomes and measure the success, or not, of treatments. Biomarkers are essential tools to fulfil these needs, and urine is a rich source for candidate biofluid biomarkers. This review will describe promising candidate urinary biomarkers of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other possible urinary candidates in future areas of investigation as well as the limitations of urinary biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary-Louise Rogers
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide 5042, South Australia, Australia
| | - David W Schultz
- Neurology Department and MND Clinic, Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide 5042, South Australia, Australia
| | - Vassilios Karnaros
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide 5042, South Australia, Australia
| | - Stephanie R Shepheard
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide 5042, South Australia, Australia
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6
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Alarcan H, Vourc'h P, Berton L, Benz-De Bretagne I, Piver E, Andres CR, Corcia P, Veyrat-Durebex C, Blasco H. Implication of Central Nervous System Barrier Impairment in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Gender-Related Difference in Patients. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11196. [PMID: 37446372 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241311196] [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: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Central nervous system (CNS) barrier impairment has been reported in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), highlighting its potential significance in the disease. In this context, we aim to shed light on its involvement in the disease, by determining albumin quotient (QAlb) at the time of diagnosis of ALS in a large cohort of patients. Patients from the university hospital of Tours (n = 307) were included in this monocentric, retrospective study. In total, 92 patients (30%) had elevated QAlb levels. This percentage was higher in males (43%) than in females (15%). Interestingly, QAlb was not associated with age of onset, age at sampling or diagnostic delay. However, we found an association with ALS functional rating scale-revised (ALSFRS-r) at diagnosis but this was significant only in males. The QAlb levels were not linked to the presence of a pathogenic mutation. Finally, we performed a multivariate survival analysis and found that QAlb was significantly associated with survival in male patients (HR = 2.3, 95% CI = 1.2-4.3, p = 0.009). A longitudinal evaluation of markers of barrier impairment, in combination with inflammatory biomarkers, could give insight into the involvement of CNS barrier impairment in the pathogenesis of the disease. The gender difference might guide the development of new drugs and help personalise the treatment of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Alarcan
- Laboratoire de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire, CHRU Bretonneau, 2 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
- UMR 1253 iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 10 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Patrick Vourc'h
- Laboratoire de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire, CHRU Bretonneau, 2 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
- UMR 1253 iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 10 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Lise Berton
- Laboratoire de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire, CHRU Bretonneau, 2 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Isabelle Benz-De Bretagne
- Laboratoire de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire, CHRU Bretonneau, 2 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Eric Piver
- Laboratoire de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire, CHRU Bretonneau, 2 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Christian R Andres
- Laboratoire de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire, CHRU Bretonneau, 2 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
- UMR 1253 iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 10 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Philippe Corcia
- UMR 1253 iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 10 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
- Service de Neurologie, CHRU Bretonneau, 2 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Charlotte Veyrat-Durebex
- Laboratoire de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire, CHRU Bretonneau, 2 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
- UMR 1253 iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 10 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Hélène Blasco
- Laboratoire de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire, CHRU Bretonneau, 2 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
- UMR 1253 iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 10 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
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7
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Diagnostic Role of Tau Proteins in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Acta Neurol Scand 2023. [DOI: 10.1155/2023/2791622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
Background. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that currently lacks reliable diagnostic biomarkers. The meta-analysis is performed with an aim to evaluate the diagnostic potential of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) total tau (t-tau), phosphorylated-tau (p-tau), and their ratio in ALS patients. Methods. A comprehensive search for literature published between the 1st of January 2000 and the 15th of May 2022 was performed in databases PubMed, medRxiv, and Google Scholar. The retrieved articles were first screened by title and abstract, and later, full-text screening was performed based on the eligibility criteria. Data on p-tau and t-tau levels and p-tau/t-tau ratio in ALS patients and controls were extracted, and a meta-analysis was performed using random-effects models in Review Manager version 5.4. Results. Data were analyzed from seven studies reporting p-tau and t-tau levels and their ratio among ALS patients and controls. The number of total study participants was 1,100. In ALS patients, the levels of p-tau didn’t differ significantly with controls (standardized mean difference (SMD): 0.14 (95% CI: -0.41 to 0.70);
). In contrast, there were significantly elevated levels of t-tau and significantly lowered p-tau/t-tau ratio in ALS (SMD: 1.76 (95% CI: 0.53 to 2.98);
and SMD: -3.09 (95% CI: -5.33 to -0.86);
, respectively). Conclusion. Our meta-analysis study supports the role of core CSF biomarkers of neurodegeneration: t-tau and p-tau/t-tau ratio as a diagnostic biomarker of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This study found that t-tau is elevated while p-tau/t-tau ratio is lowered in ALS.
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8
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Agrawal N, Farhat NY, Sinaii N, Do AD, Xiao C, Berry-Kravis E, Bianconi S, Masvekar R, Bielekova B, Solomon B, Porter FD. Neurofilament light chain in cerebrospinal fluid as a novel biomarker in evaluating both clinical severity and therapeutic response in Niemann-Pick disease type C1. Genet Med 2023; 25:100349. [PMID: 36470574 PMCID: PMC9992339 DOI: 10.1016/j.gim.2022.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Niemann-Pick disease type C1 (NPC1) is a neurodegenerative lysosomal disorder caused by pathogenic variants in NPC1. Disease progression is monitored using the NPC Neurological Severity Scale, but there are currently no established validated or qualified biomarkers. Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is being investigated as a biomarker in multiple neurodegenerative diseases. METHODS Cross-sectional and longitudinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were obtained from 116 individuals with NPC1. NfL levels were measured using a solid-phase sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and compared with age-appropriate non-NPC1 comparison samples. RESULTS Median levels of NfL were elevated at baseline (1152 [680-1840] pg/mL) in NPC1 compared with controls (167 [82-372] pg/mL; P < .001). Elevated NfL levels were associated with more severe disease as assessed by both the 17-domain and 5-domain NPC Neurological Severity Score. Associations were also observed with ambulation, fine motor, speech, and swallowing scores. Although treatment with the investigational drug 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (adrabetadex) did not decrease CSF NfL levels, miglustat therapy over time was associated with a decrease (odds ratio = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.62-0.96). CONCLUSION CSF NfL levels are increased in individuals with NPC1, associated with clinical disease severity, and decreased with miglustat therapy. These data suggest that NfL is a biomarker that may have utility in future therapeutic trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neena Agrawal
- National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Nicole Y Farhat
- Division of Translational Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Ninet Sinaii
- Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology Service, Clinical Center, National Institues of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - An Dang Do
- Division of Translational Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Changrui Xiao
- National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Elizabeth Berry-Kravis
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, Department of Biochemistry, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL
| | - Simona Bianconi
- Division of Translational Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; Southern California Permanente Medical Group, San Diego, CA
| | - Ruturaj Masvekar
- Neuroimmunological Diseases Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Bibiana Bielekova
- Neuroimmunological Diseases Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Beth Solomon
- Rehabilitaiton Medicine Department, Mark O. Hatfield Clinical Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Forbes D Porter
- Division of Translational Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.
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9
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Suzuki N, Nishiyama A, Warita H, Aoki M. Genetics of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: seeking therapeutic targets in the era of gene therapy. J Hum Genet 2023; 68:131-152. [PMID: 35691950 PMCID: PMC9968660 DOI: 10.1038/s10038-022-01055-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an intractable disease that causes respiratory failure leading to mortality. The main locus of ALS is motor neurons. The success of antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapy in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a motor neuron disease, has triggered a paradigm shift in developing ALS therapies. The causative genes of ALS and disease-modifying genes, including those of sporadic ALS, have been identified one after another. Thus, the freedom of target choice for gene therapy has expanded by ASO strategy, leading to new avenues for therapeutic development. Tofersen for superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) was a pioneer in developing ASO for ALS. Improving protocols and devising early interventions for the disease are vital. In this review, we updated the knowledge of causative genes in ALS. We summarized the genetic mutations identified in familial ALS and their clinical features, focusing on SOD1, fused in sarcoma (FUS), and transacting response DNA-binding protein. The frequency of the C9ORF72 mutation is low in Japan, unlike in Europe and the United States, while SOD1 and FUS are more common, indicating that the target mutations for gene therapy vary by ethnicity. A genome-wide association study has revealed disease-modifying genes, which could be the novel target of gene therapy. The current status and prospects of gene therapy development were discussed, including ethical issues. Furthermore, we discussed the potential of axonal pathology as new therapeutic targets of ALS from the perspective of early intervention, including intra-axonal transcription factors, neuromuscular junction disconnection, dysregulated local translation, abnormal protein degradation, mitochondrial pathology, impaired axonal transport, aberrant cytoskeleton, and axon branching. We simultaneously discuss important pathological states of cell bodies: persistent stress granules, disrupted nucleocytoplasmic transport, and cryptic splicing. The development of gene therapy based on the elucidation of disease-modifying genes and early intervention in molecular pathology is expected to become an important therapeutic strategy in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Suzuki
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan.
| | - Ayumi Nishiyama
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Warita
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan
| | - Masashi Aoki
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan.
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10
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Datta A, Udhaya Kumar S, D'costa M, Bothe A, Thirumal Kumar D, Zayed H, George Priya Doss C. Identification of dysregulated canonical pathways associated with pathogenesis and progression of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis-An integrated bioinformatics approach. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2023; 134:21-52. [PMID: 36858735 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2022.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The mechanisms responsible for the pathogenesis and progression of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) remain poorly understood, making the diagnosis of ALS challenging. We aimed to find the novel gene biomarkers via computationally analyzing microarray expression studies, in three different cell lineages, namely myotube cells, astrocyte cells and oligodendrocyte cells. Microarray gene expression profiles were obtained and analyzed for three cell types: myotube cell lineage (GSE122261), astrocyte, and oligodendrocyte cell lineage (GSE87385). A comprehensive computational pipeline, tailored explicitly for microarray gene expression profiling studies, was devised to analyze the sample groups, wherein the myotube sample group comprised of six control (GSM3462697, GSM3462698, GSM3462699, GSM3462700, GSM3462701, GSM3462702) & six diseased (GSM3462691, GSM3462692, GSM3462693, GSM3462694, GSM3462695, GSM3462696) samples were considered. Similarly, for the astrocyte sample group two samples each for the control (GSM2330040, GSM2330042) and the diseased (GSM2330039, GSM2330041), and for the oligodendrocyte sample group, 2 control (GSM2330043, GSM2330045) samples and two diseased (GSM2330044, GSM2330046) samples were considered for the current study. The in-depth interaction of these DEGs was studied using MCODE and subjected to preliminary functional analysis using ClueGO/CluePedia plug-in. Qiagen's IPA software was employed for enrichment analysis, which generated the key canonical pathways and a list of potential biomarker molecules specific to each sample group. The preliminary analysis yielded 512 DEGs across all 3-sample groups, wherein 139 DEGs belonged to the myotube sample group, 216 DEGs for the astrocyte sample group, and 157 DEGs for the oligodendrocytes sample group. The data suggests growth hormone signaling and its activity, ErbB signaling pathway, and JAK/STAT signaling pathway are some of the pathways that are significantly dysregulated and play a crucial role in the development and progression of ALS. KISS1R and CSHL1 are potential genes that could act as diagnostic biomarkers in myotube cell types. Also, KRAS, TGFB2, JUN, and SMAD6 genes may be used as prognostic biomarkers to differentiate between early and late-stage ALS-diseased patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankur Datta
- Laboratory of Integrative Genomics, Department of Integrative Biology, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - S Udhaya Kumar
- Laboratory of Integrative Genomics, Department of Integrative Biology, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Maria D'costa
- Laboratory of Integrative Genomics, Department of Integrative Biology, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Anusha Bothe
- Laboratory of Integrative Genomics, Department of Integrative Biology, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - D Thirumal Kumar
- Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research (Deemed to be University), Chennai, India
| | - Hatem Zayed
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - C George Priya Doss
- Laboratory of Integrative Genomics, Department of Integrative Biology, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
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11
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Chakraborty A, Diwan A. Biomarkers and molecular mechanisms of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. AIMS Neurosci 2022; 9:423-443. [PMID: 36660079 PMCID: PMC9826749 DOI: 10.3934/neuroscience.2022023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease in adults involving non-demyelinating motor disorders. About 90% of ALS cases are sporadic, while 10-12% of cases are due to some genetic reasons. Mutations in superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), TAR, c9orf72 (chromosome 9 open reading frame 72) and VAPB genes are commonly found in ALS patients. Therefore, the mechanism of ALS development involves oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, glutamate excitotoxicity and aggregation of proteins, neuro-inflammation and defective RNA function. Cholesterol and LDL/HDL levels are also associated with ALS development. As a result, sterols could be a suitable biomarker for this ailment. The main mechanisms of ALS development are reticulum stress, neuroinflammation and RNA metabolism. The multi-nature development of ALS makes it more challenging to pinpoint a treatment.
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12
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Petzold A. The 2022 Lady Estelle Wolfson lectureship on neurofilaments. J Neurochem 2022; 163:179-219. [PMID: 35950263 PMCID: PMC9826399 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Neurofilament proteins (Nf) have been validated and established as a reliable body fluid biomarker for neurodegenerative pathology. This review covers seven Nf isoforms, Nf light (NfL), two splicing variants of Nf medium (NfM), two splicing variants of Nf heavy (NfH), α -internexin (INA) and peripherin (PRPH). The genetic and epigenetic aspects of Nf are discussed as relevant for neurodegenerative diseases and oncology. The comprehensive list of mutations for all Nf isoforms covers Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Charcot-Marie Tooth disease, Spinal muscular atrophy, Parkinson Disease and Lewy Body Dementia. Next, emphasis is given to the expanding field of post-translational modifications (PTM) of the Nf amino acid residues. Protein structural aspects are reviewed alongside PTMs causing neurodegenerative pathology and human autoimmunity. Molecular visualisations of NF PTMs, assembly and stoichiometry make use of Alphafold2 modelling. The implications for Nf function on the cellular level and axonal transport are discussed. Neurofilament aggregate formation and proteolytic breakdown are reviewed as relevant for biomarker tests and disease. Likewise, Nf stoichiometry is reviewed with regard to in vitro experiments and as a compensatory mechanism in neurodegeneration. The review of Nf across a spectrum of 87 diseases from all parts of medicine is followed by a critical appraisal of 33 meta-analyses on Nf body fluid levels. The review concludes with considerations for clinical trial design and an outlook for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Petzold
- Department of NeurodegenerationQueen Square Insitute of Neurology, UCLLondonUK
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13
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Wang L, Zhang W, Liu F, Mao C, Liu CF, Cheng W, Feng J. Association of Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurofilament Heavy Protein Levels With Clinical Progression in Patients With Parkinson Disease. JAMA Netw Open 2022; 5:e2223821. [PMID: 35881392 PMCID: PMC9327574 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.23821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Neurofilament light in biofluids has been associated with progression of Parkinson disease (PD), but the association between neurofilament heavy (NfH) and progression of PD has not been investigated. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the associations of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) NfH (cNfH) levels and motor and cognitive progression in PD. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cohort study used data from the Parkinson Progression Marker Initiative ranging from June 2010 to November 2018. Participants were recruited from 24 participating sites worldwide (United States, Europe, and Australia). Data were analyzed from October 20 to December 18, 2021. EXPOSURES Concentrations of NfH in CSF. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcomes were Movement Disorder Society-sponsored revisions of the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) Part III; scores range from 0 to 132, with higher scores indicating worse motor function, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA); scores range from 0 to 30, with higher scores indicating better cognitive function. The associations of cNfH levels and longitudinal change in MDS-UPDRS-Part-III and MoCA were examined using linear mixed-effects models with PD duration as the time scale. Partial correlation analysis was conducted to examine the associations of cNfH levels and α-synuclein, amyloid-β 1-42 (Aβ42), phosphorylated tau at threonine 181 position (P-tau), and total tau (T-tau) levels in CSF. RESULTS A total of 404 patients with PD (mean [SD] age, 61.7 [9.7] years; 263 were men [65.1%]; within 2 years of diagnosis; Hoehn and Yahr <3) were included. Higher baseline cNfH levels were associated with greater increases in MDS-UPDRS Part-III (β = 0.39; 95% CI, 0.12-0.66; P = .003) and faster decreases in MoCA (β = -0.18; CI, -0.24 to -0.11; P < .001). Levels of cNfH were correlated with CSF levels of α-synuclein (Spearman r = 0.25; 95% CI, 0.15-0.34; P < .001), Aβ42 (Spearman r = 0.18; 95% CI, 0.08-0.27; P < .001), P-tau (Spearman r = 0.25; 95% CI, 0.15-0.35; P < .001), and T-tau (Spearman r = 0.31; 95% CI, 0.21-0.40; P < .001) at baseline. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Higher baseline cNfH levels were associated with faster motor and cognitive progression. This finding suggests that cNfH may be of some value for stratifying patients with PD who have different progression rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linbo Wang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
- MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
- MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Fengtao Liu
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital North, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chengjie Mao
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Chun-Feng Liu
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Wei Cheng
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
- MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianfeng Feng
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
- MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
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14
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Falzone YM, Domi T, Mandelli A, Pozzi L, Schito P, Russo T, Barbieri A, Fazio R, Volontè MA, Magnani G, Del Carro U, Carrera P, Malaspina A, Agosta F, Quattrini A, Furlan R, Filippi M, Riva N. Integrated evaluation of a panel of neurochemical biomarkers to optimize diagnosis and prognosis in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Eur J Neurol 2022; 29:1930-1939. [PMID: 35263489 PMCID: PMC9314044 DOI: 10.1111/ene.15321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE This study was undertaken to determine the diagnostic and prognostic value of a panel of serum biomarkers and to correlate their concentrations with several clinical parameters in a large cohort of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). METHODS One hundred forty-three consecutive patients with ALS and a control cohort consisting of 70 patients with other neurodegenerative disorders (DEG), 70 patients with ALS mimic disorders (ALSmd), and 45 healthy controls (HC) were included. Serum neurofilament light chain (NfL), ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase isozyme L1 (UCHL1), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and total tau protein levels were measured using ultrasensitive single molecule array. RESULTS NfL correlated with disease progression rate (p < 0.001) and with the measures of upper motor neuron burden (p < 0.001). NfL was higher in the ALS patients with classic and pyramidal phenotype. GFAP was raised in ALS with cognitive-behavioral impairment compared with ALS with normal cognition. NfL displayed the best diagnostic performance in discriminating ALS from HC (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.990), DEG (AUC = 0.946), and ALSmd (AUC = 0.850). UCHL1 performed well in distinguishing ALS from HC (AUC = 0.761), whereas it was not helpful in differentiating ALS from DEG and ALSmd. In multivariate analysis, NfL (p < 0.001) and UCHL1 (p = 0.038) were independent prognostic factors. Survival analysis combining NfL and UCHL1 effectively stratified patients with lower NfL levels (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS NfL is a useful biomarker for the diagnosis of ALS and the strongest predictor of survival. UCHL1 is an independent prognostic factor helpful in stratifying survival in patients with low NfL levels, likely to have slowly progressive disease. GFAP reflects extramotor involvement, namely cognitive impairment or frontotemporal dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri Matteo Falzone
- Experimental Neuropathology UnitDivision of NeuroscienceInstitute of Experimental NeurologySan Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Neurology UnitSan Raffaele Scientific Institute, Scientific Institute for Research and Health CareMilanItaly
| | - Teuta Domi
- Experimental Neuropathology UnitDivision of NeuroscienceInstitute of Experimental NeurologySan Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Alessandra Mandelli
- Clinical Neuroimmunology UnitDivision of NeuroscienceInstitute of Experimental NeurologySan Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Laura Pozzi
- Experimental Neuropathology UnitDivision of NeuroscienceInstitute of Experimental NeurologySan Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Paride Schito
- Experimental Neuropathology UnitDivision of NeuroscienceInstitute of Experimental NeurologySan Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Neurology UnitSan Raffaele Scientific Institute, Scientific Institute for Research and Health CareMilanItaly
| | - Tommaso Russo
- Experimental Neuropathology UnitDivision of NeuroscienceInstitute of Experimental NeurologySan Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Neurology UnitSan Raffaele Scientific Institute, Scientific Institute for Research and Health CareMilanItaly
| | - Alessandra Barbieri
- Neurology UnitSan Raffaele Scientific Institute, Scientific Institute for Research and Health CareMilanItaly
| | - Raffaella Fazio
- Neurology UnitSan Raffaele Scientific Institute, Scientific Institute for Research and Health CareMilanItaly
| | - Maria Antonietta Volontè
- Neurology UnitSan Raffaele Scientific Institute, Scientific Institute for Research and Health CareMilanItaly
| | - Giuseppe Magnani
- Neurology UnitSan Raffaele Scientific Institute, Scientific Institute for Research and Health CareMilanItaly
| | - Ubaldo Del Carro
- Neurophysiology UnitSan Raffaele Scientific Institute, Scientific Institute for Research and Health CareMilanItaly
| | - Paola Carrera
- Unit of Genomics for Human Disease DiagnosisLaboratory of Clinical Molecular BiologyDivision of Genetics and Cell BiologySan Raffaele Hospital, Scientific Institute for Research and Health CareMilanItaly
| | - Andrea Malaspina
- Centre for Neuroscience and TraumaBlizard InstituteQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Federica Agosta
- Neuroimaging Research UnitDivision of NeuroscienceInstitute of Experimental NeurologySan Raffaele Scientific Institute, Scientific Institute for Research and Health CareMilanItaly
- Vita‐Salute San Raffaele UniversityMilanItaly
| | - Angelo Quattrini
- Experimental Neuropathology UnitDivision of NeuroscienceInstitute of Experimental NeurologySan Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Roberto Furlan
- Clinical Neuroimmunology UnitDivision of NeuroscienceInstitute of Experimental NeurologySan Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Massimo Filippi
- Neurology UnitSan Raffaele Scientific Institute, Scientific Institute for Research and Health CareMilanItaly
- Neurophysiology UnitSan Raffaele Scientific Institute, Scientific Institute for Research and Health CareMilanItaly
- Neuroimaging Research UnitDivision of NeuroscienceInstitute of Experimental NeurologySan Raffaele Scientific Institute, Scientific Institute for Research and Health CareMilanItaly
- Vita‐Salute San Raffaele UniversityMilanItaly
- Neurorehabilitation UnitSan Raffaele Scientific Institute, Scientific Institute for Research and Health CareMilanItaly
| | - Nilo Riva
- Experimental Neuropathology UnitDivision of NeuroscienceInstitute of Experimental NeurologySan Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Neurology UnitSan Raffaele Scientific Institute, Scientific Institute for Research and Health CareMilanItaly
- Neurorehabilitation UnitSan Raffaele Scientific Institute, Scientific Institute for Research and Health CareMilanItaly
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15
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Alarcan H, Al Ojaimi Y, Lanznaster D, Escoffre JM, Corcia P, Vourc'h P, Andres CR, Veyrat-Durebex C, Blasco H. Taking Advantages of Blood–Brain or Spinal Cord Barrier Alterations or Restoring Them to Optimize Therapy in ALS? J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12071071. [PMID: 35887567 PMCID: PMC9319288 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12071071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder that still lacks an efficient therapy. The barriers between the central nervous system (CNS) and the blood represent a major limiting factor to the development of drugs for CNS diseases, including ALS. Alterations of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) or blood–spinal cord barrier (BSCB) have been reported in this disease but still require further investigations. Interestingly, these alterations might be involved in the complex etiology and pathogenesis of ALS. Moreover, they can have potential consequences on the diffusion of candidate drugs across the brain. The development of techniques to bypass these barriers is continuously evolving and might open the door for personalized medical approaches. Therefore, identifying robust and non-invasive markers of BBB and BSCB alterations can help distinguish different subgroups of patients, such as those in whom barrier disruption can negatively affect the delivery of drugs to their CNS targets. The restoration of CNS barriers using innovative therapies could consequently present the advantage of both alleviating the disease progression and optimizing the safety and efficiency of ALS-specific therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Alarcan
- Laboratoire de Biochimie et Biologie Moleculaire, CHRU Bretonneau, 2 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
- UMR 1253 iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 10 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Yara Al Ojaimi
- UMR 1253 iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 10 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Debora Lanznaster
- UMR 1253 iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 10 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Jean-Michel Escoffre
- UMR 1253 iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 10 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Philippe Corcia
- UMR 1253 iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 10 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
- Service de Neurologie, CHRU Bretonneau, 2 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Patrick Vourc'h
- Laboratoire de Biochimie et Biologie Moleculaire, CHRU Bretonneau, 2 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
- UMR 1253 iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 10 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Christian R Andres
- Laboratoire de Biochimie et Biologie Moleculaire, CHRU Bretonneau, 2 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
- UMR 1253 iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 10 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Charlotte Veyrat-Durebex
- Laboratoire de Biochimie et Biologie Moleculaire, CHRU Bretonneau, 2 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
- UMR 1253 iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 10 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Hélène Blasco
- Laboratoire de Biochimie et Biologie Moleculaire, CHRU Bretonneau, 2 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
- UMR 1253 iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 10 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France
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16
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Zecca C, Dell'Abate MT, Pasculli G, Capozzo R, Barone R, Arima S, Pollice A, Brescia V, Tortelli R, Logroscino G. Role of plasma phosphorylated neurofilament heavy chain (pNfH) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Cell Mol Med 2022; 26:3608-3615. [PMID: 35715961 PMCID: PMC9258711 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.17232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The phosphorylated neurofilament heavy chain (pNfH) is a promising biomarker in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We examined plasma pNfH concentrations in order to corroborate its role as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in ALS. Incident ALS cases enrolled in a population‐based registry were retrospectively selected and matched by sex and age with a cohort of healthy volunteers. Plasma pNfH levels were measured by an ELISA kit and correlated with clinical parameters. Discrimination ability of pNfH was tested using receiving operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Kaplan–Meier (KM) analysis and Cox proportional hazard models were used for survival analysis. Plasma pNfH was significantly higher in patients compared to controls. An optimal cut‐off of 39.74 pg/ml discriminated cases from controls with an elevated sensitivity and specificity. Bulbar‐onset cases had higher plasma pNfH compared to spinal onset (p = 0.0033). Furthermore, plasma pNfH positively correlated with disease progression rate (r = 0.19, p = 0.031). Baseline plasma pNfH did not influence survival in our cohort. Our findings confirmed the potential utility of plasma pNfH as a diagnostic biomarker in ALS. However, further studies with longitudinal data are needed to corroborate its prognostic value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Zecca
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" at "Pia Fondazione Card G. Panico" Hospital Tricase, Lecce, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Dell'Abate
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" at "Pia Fondazione Card G. Panico" Hospital Tricase, Lecce, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Pasculli
- Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering Antonio Ruberti (DIAG) La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Rosa Capozzo
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" at "Pia Fondazione Card G. Panico" Hospital Tricase, Lecce, Italy
| | - Roberta Barone
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" at "Pia Fondazione Card G. Panico" Hospital Tricase, Lecce, Italy
| | - Serena Arima
- Department of History, Society and Human Studies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Alessio Pollice
- Department of Economics and Finance, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Lecce, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Brescia
- Unit of Laboratory Medicine, "Pia Fondazione Card.G. Panico" Hospital, Lecce, Italy
| | - Rosanna Tortelli
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" at "Pia Fondazione Card G. Panico" Hospital Tricase, Lecce, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Logroscino
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" at "Pia Fondazione Card G. Panico" Hospital Tricase, Lecce, Italy.,Department of Basic Medicine Sciences, Neuroscience, and Sense Organs, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
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17
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Cao MC, Cawston EE, Chen G, Brooks C, Douwes J, McLean D, Graham ES, Dragunow M, Scotter EL. Serum biomarkers of neuroinflammation and blood-brain barrier leakage in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. BMC Neurol 2022; 22:216. [PMID: 35690735 PMCID: PMC9188104 DOI: 10.1186/s12883-022-02730-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable and rapidly progressive neurological disorder. Biomarkers are critical to understanding disease causation, monitoring disease progression and assessing the efficacy of treatments. However, robust peripheral biomarkers are yet to be identified. Neuroinflammation and breakdown of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) are common to familial and sporadic ALS and may produce a unique biomarker signature in peripheral blood. Using cytometric bead array (n = 15 participants per group (ALS or control)) and proteome profiling (n = 6 participants per group (ALS or control)), we assessed a total of 106 serum cytokines, growth factors, and BBB breakdown markers in the serum of control and ALS participants. Further, primary human brain pericytes, which maintain the BBB, were used as a biosensor of inflammation following pre-treatment with ALS serum. Principal components analysis of all proteome profile data showed no clustering of control or ALS sera, and no individual serum proteins met the threshold for statistical difference between ALS and controls (adjusted P values). However, the 20 most changed proteins between control and ALS sera showed a medium effect size (Cohen’s d = 0.67) and cluster analysis of their levels together identified three sample subsets; control-only, mixed control-ALS, and ALS-only. These 20 proteins were predominantly pro-angiogenic and growth factors, including fractalkine, BDNF, EGF, PDGF, Dkk-1, MIF and angiopoietin-2. S100β, a protein highly concentrated in glial cells and therefore a marker of BBB leakage when found in blood, was unchanged in ALS serum, suggesting that serum protein profiles were reflective of peripheral rather than CNS biofluids. Finally, primary human brain pericytes remained proliferative and their secretome was unchanged by chronic exposure to ALS serum. Our exploratory study suggests that individual serum cytokine levels may not be robust biomarkers in small studies of ALS, but that larger studies using multiplexed analysis of pro-angiogenic and growth factors may identify a peripheral signature of ALS pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maize C Cao
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand.,Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Erin E Cawston
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand.,Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Grace Chen
- Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, PO Box 75, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand
| | - Collin Brooks
- Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, PO Box 75, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand
| | - Jeroen Douwes
- Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, PO Box 75, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand
| | - Dave McLean
- Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, PO Box 75, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand
| | - E Scott Graham
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand.,Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Mike Dragunow
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand. .,Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand.
| | - Emma L Scotter
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand. .,Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand.
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18
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Doroszkiewicz J, Groblewska M, Mroczko B. Molecular Biomarkers and Their Implications for the Early Diagnosis of Selected Neurodegenerative Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23094610. [PMID: 35563001 PMCID: PMC9100918 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The degeneration and dysfunction of neurons are key features of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). Currently, one of the main challenges facing researchers and clinicians is the ability to obtain reliable diagnostic tools that will allow for the diagnosis of NDs as early as possible and the detection of neuronal dysfunction, preferably in the presymptomatic stage. Additionally, better tools for assessing disease progression in this group of disorders are also being sought. The ideal biomarker must have high sensitivity and specificity, be easy to measure, give reproducible results, and reflect the disease progression. Molecular biomarkers include miRNAs and extracellular microvesicles known as exosomes. They may be measured in two extracellular fluids of the highest importance in NDs, i.e., cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood. The aim of the current review is to summarize the pathophysiology of the four most frequent NDs—i.e., Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and multiple sclerosis (MS)—as well as current progress in the research into miRNAs as biomarkers in these major neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, we discuss the possibility of using miRNA-based therapies in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, and present the limitations of this type of therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Doroszkiewicz
- Department of Neurodegeneration Diagnostics, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-269 Bialystok, Poland;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-85-686-51-68
| | - Magdalena Groblewska
- Department of Biochemical Diagnostics, University Hospital in Białystok, 15-269 Bialystok, Poland;
| | - Barbara Mroczko
- Department of Neurodegeneration Diagnostics, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-269 Bialystok, Poland;
- Department of Biochemical Diagnostics, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-269 Bialystok, Poland
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19
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Dreger M, Steinbach R, Otto M, Turner MR, Grosskreutz J. Cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of disease activity and progression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2022; 93:422-435. [PMID: 35105727 PMCID: PMC8921583 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2021-327503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a relentlessly progressive neurodegenerative disease, and only modest disease-modifying strategies have been established to date. Numerous clinical trials have been conducted in the past years, but have been severely hampered by the wide-ranging heterogeneity of both the biological origins and clinical characteristics of the disease. Thus, reliable biomarkers of disease activity are urgently needed to stratify patients into homogenous groups with aligned disease trajectories to allow a more effective design of clinical trial. In this review, the most promising candidate biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with ALS will be summarised. Correlations between biomarker levels and clinical outcome parameters are discussed, while highlighting potential pitfalls and intercorrelations of these clinical parameters. Several CSF molecules have shown potential as biomarkers of progression and prognosis, but large, international, multicentric and longitudinal studies are crucial for validation. A more standardised choice of clinical endpoints in these studies, as well as the application of individualised models of clinical progression, would allow the quantification of disease trajectories, thereby allowing a more accurate analysis of the clinical implications of candidate biomarkers. Additionally, a comparative analysis of several biomarkers and ideally the application of a multivariate analysis including comprehensive genotypic, phenotypic and clinical characteristics collectively contributing to biomarker levels in the CSF, could promote their verification. Thus, reliable prognostic markers and markers of disease activity may improve clinical trial design and patient management in the direction of precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Dreger
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Thüringen, Germany
| | - Robert Steinbach
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Thüringen, Germany
| | - Markus Otto
- Department of Neurology, University of Halle (Saale), Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Martin R Turner
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Julian Grosskreutz
- Precision Neurology, Department of Neurology, University of Luebeck Human Medicine, Luebeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
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20
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Ikenaka K, Maeda Y, Hotta Y, Nagano S, Yamada S, Ito D, Torii R, Kakuda K, Tatebe H, Atsuta N, Aguirre C, Kimura Y, Baba K, Tokuda T, Katsuno M, Kimura K, Sobue G, Mochizuki H. Serum asymmetric dimethyl arginine level correlates with the progression and prognosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Eur J Neurol 2022; 29:1410-1416. [PMID: 35128793 PMCID: PMC9305138 DOI: 10.1111/ene.15254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Background and purpose: Methods Results Conclusion
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Affiliation(s)
- Kensuke Ikenaka
- Department of Neurology Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine Suita Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Maeda
- Center for Joint Research Facilities Support Fujita Health University Toyoake Japan
| | - Yuji Hotta
- Department of Hospital Pharmacy Nagoya City University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences Nagoya Japan
| | - Seiichi Nagano
- Department of Neurology Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine Suita Japan
| | - Shinichiro Yamada
- Department of Neurology Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine Nagoya Japan
| | - Daisuke Ito
- Department of Neurology Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine Nagoya Japan
| | - Ryota Torii
- Department of Neurology Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine Nagoya Japan
| | - Keita Kakuda
- Department of Neurology Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine Suita Japan
| | - Harutsugu Tatebe
- T Brothers Corporation T & Chiba Japan
- National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST) Chiba Japan
| | - Naoki Atsuta
- Department of Neurology Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine Nagoya Japan
- Department of Neurology Aichi Medical University School of Medicine Nagakute Japan
| | - Cesar Aguirre
- Department of Neurology Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine Suita Japan
| | - Yasuyoshi Kimura
- Department of Neurology Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine Suita Japan
| | - Kousuke Baba
- Department of Neurology Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine Suita Japan
| | - Takahiko Tokuda
- T Brothers Corporation T & Chiba Japan
- National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST) Chiba Japan
| | - Masahisa Katsuno
- Department of Neurology Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine Nagoya Japan
- Department of Clinical Research Education Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine Nagoya Japan
| | - Kazunori Kimura
- Department of Hospital Pharmacy Nagoya City University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences Nagoya Japan
| | - Gen Sobue
- Research Division of Dementia and Neurodegenerative Disease Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine Nagoya Japan
- Aichi Medical University Nagakute Japan
| | - Hideki Mochizuki
- Department of Neurology Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine Suita Japan
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21
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Dhasmana S, Dhasmana A, Narula AS, Jaggi M, Yallapu MM, Chauhan SC. The panoramic view of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A fatal intricate neurological disorder. Life Sci 2022; 288:120156. [PMID: 34801512 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.120156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and fatal neurological disease affecting both upper and lower motor neurons. In the United States alone, there are 16,000-20,000 established cases of ALS. The early disease diagnosis is challenging due to many overlapping pathophysiologies with other neurological diseases. The etiology of ALS is unknown; however, it is divided into two categories: familial ALS (fALS) which occurs due to gene mutations & contributes to 5-10% of ALS, and sporadic ALS (sALS) which is due to environmental factors & contributes to 90-95% of ALS. There is still no curative treatment for ALS: palliative care and symptomatic treatment are therefore essential components in the management of these patients. In this review, we provide a panoramic view of ALS, which includes epidemiology, risk factors, pathophysiologies, biomarkers, diagnosis, therapeutics (natural, synthetic, gene-based, pharmacological, stem cell, extracellular vesicles, and physical therapy), controversies (in the clinical trials of ALS), the scope of nanomedicine in ALS, and future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swati Dhasmana
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA; South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA
| | - Anupam Dhasmana
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA; South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA
| | - Acharan S Narula
- Narula Research LLC, 107 Boulder Bluff, Chapel Hill, NC 27516, USA
| | - Meena Jaggi
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA; South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA
| | - Murali M Yallapu
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA; South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA
| | - Subhash C Chauhan
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA; South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA.
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22
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Thompson AG, Gray E, Verber N, Bobeva Y, Lombardi V, Shepheard SR, Yildiz O, Feneberg E, Farrimond L, Dharmadasa T, Gray P, Edmond EC, Scaber J, Gagliardi D, Kirby J, Jenkins TM, Fratta P, McDermott CJ, Manohar SG, Talbot K, Malaspina A, Shaw PJ, Turner MR. OUP accepted manuscript. Brain Commun 2022; 4:fcac029. [PMID: 35224491 PMCID: PMC8870425 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcac029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The routine clinical integration of individualized objective markers of disease activity in those diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disorder amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a key requirement for therapeutic development. A large, multicentre, clinic-based, longitudinal cohort was used to systematically appraise the leading candidate biofluid biomarkers in the stratification and potential therapeutic assessment of those with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Incident patients diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (n = 258), other neurological diseases (n = 80) and healthy control participants (n = 101), were recruited and followed at intervals of 3–6 months for up to 30 months. Cerebrospinal fluid neurofilament light chain and chitotriosidase 1 and blood neurofilament light chain, creatine kinase, ferritin, complement C3 and C4 and C-reactive protein were measured. Blood neurofilament light chain, creatine kinase, serum ferritin, C3 and cerebrospinal fluid neurofilament light chain and chitotriosidase 1 were all significantly elevated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients. First-visit plasma neurofilament light chain level was additionally strongly associated with survival (hazard ratio for one standard deviation increase in log10 plasma neurofilament light chain 2.99, 95% confidence interval 1.65–5.41, P = 0.016) and rate of disability progression, independent of other prognostic factors. A small increase in level was noted within the first 12 months after reported symptom onset (slope 0.031 log10 units per month, 95% confidence interval 0.012–0.049, P = 0.006). Modelling the inclusion of plasma neurofilament light chain as a therapeutic trial outcome measure demonstrated that a significant reduction in sample size and earlier detection of disease-slowing is possible, compared with using the revised Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale. This study provides strong evidence that blood neurofilament light chain levels outperform conventional measures of disease activity at the group level. The application of blood neurofilament light chain has the potential to radically reduce the duration and cost of therapeutic trials. It might also offer a first step towards the goal of more personalized objective disease activity monitoring for those living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elizabeth Gray
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nick Verber
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Yoana Bobeva
- Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | | | - Stephanie R. Shepheard
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Ozlem Yildiz
- Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Emily Feneberg
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Lucy Farrimond
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Thanuja Dharmadasa
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Pamela Gray
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Evan C. Edmond
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jakub Scaber
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Delia Gagliardi
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Janine Kirby
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Thomas M. Jenkins
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Pietro Fratta
- Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | | | - Sanjay G. Manohar
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Kevin Talbot
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Andrea Malaspina
- Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Correspondence may also be addressed to: Prof Andrea Malaspina Blizard Institute 4 Newark St, Whitechapel London, E1 2AT, UK E-mail:
| | - Pamela J. Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Correspondence may also be addressed to: Prof Dame Pamela Shaw Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) University of Sheffield, 385a Glossop Rd Broomhall, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK E-mail:
| | - Martin R. Turner
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Correspondence to: Prof Martin Turner Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences Level 6, West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK E-mail:
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23
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Abstract
The blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) has been long thought of as a functional equivalent to the blood-brain barrier (BBB), restricting blood flow into the spinal cord. The spinal cord is supported by various disc tissues that provide agility and has different local immune responses compared to the brain. Though physiologically, structural components of the BSCB and BBB share many similarities, the clinical landscape significantly differs. Thus, it is crucial to understand the composition of BSCB and also to establish the cause–effect relationship with aberrations and spinal cord dysfunctions. Here, we provide a descriptive analysis of the anatomy, current techniques to assess the impairment of BSCB, associated risk factors and impact of spinal disorders such as spinal cord injury (SCI), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), peripheral nerve injury (PNI), ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI), degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM), multiple sclerosis (MS), spinal cavernous malformations (SCM) and cancer on BSCB dysfunction. Along with diagnostic and mechanistic analyses, we also provide an up-to-date account of available therapeutic options for BSCB repair. We emphasize the need to address BSCB as an individual entity and direct future research towards it.
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24
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Shi J, Qin X, Chang X, Wang H, Guo J, Zhang W. Neurofilament markers in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Cell Mol Med 2021; 26:583-587. [PMID: 34866307 PMCID: PMC8743649 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.17100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aims to determine the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of neurofilament light chain (NFL) and phosphorylated neurofilament heavy chain (pNFH) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, and to explore their feasibility as valid biomarkers for quantifying disease progression and predicting individual prognosis. 52 patients with ALS and 30 controls with noninflammatory neurological diseases were included. NFL and pNFH levels in serum and CSF were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Our findings showed that serum and CSF levels of NFL and pNFH in ALS patients were significantly increased. These values were negatively correlated with disease duration (except CSF NFL with disease duration) and ALSFRS‐r score, and positively correlated with disease progression rate (DPR) and upper motor neuron (UMN) score, but did not correlate with bilateral median and ulnar nerve compound muscle action potential (cMAP) amplitudes (except a weak correlation between CSF NFL and cMAP amplitudes). The optimal cut‐off values with high sensitivity and specificity were obtained in ROC curve analysis to discriminate ALS from controls. Kaplan‐Meier survival curves illustrated that survival was significantly shorter for patients with higher neurofilament levels at diagnosis. The Cox proportional hazards regressions confirmed that NFL and pNFH were significant predictors of survival. Overall, NFL and pNFH in serum and CSF can be used as reliable biomarkers in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaying Shi
- Department of Neurology, First Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Xiaohui Qin
- Department of Encephalopathy, Changzhi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changzhi, China
| | - Xueli Chang
- Department of Neurology, First Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Hong Wang
- Department of Neurology, First Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Junhong Guo
- Department of Neurology, First Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Neurology, First Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
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25
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Prell T, Vlad B, Gaur N, Stubendorff B, Grosskreutz J. Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption Is Not Associated With Disease Aggressiveness in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:656456. [PMID: 34776835 PMCID: PMC8586537 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.656456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogenesis of the fatal neurodegenerative condition amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) remains to be fully understood. Blood–brain barrier damage (BBBD) has been implicated as an exacerbating factor in several neurodegenerative conditions, including ALS. Therefore, this cross-sectional study used the novel D50 progression model to assess the clinical relevance of BBBD within a cohort of individuals with either ALS (n = 160) or ALS mimicking conditions (n = 31). Routine laboratory parameters in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood were measured, and the ratio of CSF to serum albumin levels (Qalb) was used as a proxy measure of BBBD. In the univariate analyses, Qalb levels correlated weakly with disease aggressiveness (as indicated by individual D50 values) and physical function (as measured by ALS Functional Rating Scale). However, after adjustment for cofactors in the elastic net regularization, only having limb-onset disease was associated with BBBD. The results reported here emphasize the clinical heterogeneity of ALS and the need for additional longitudinal and multi-modal studies to fully clarify the extent and effect of BBBD in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tino Prell
- Department of Geriatrics, Halle University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Benjamin Vlad
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Nayana Gaur
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Julian Grosskreutz
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.,Precision Neurology, University of Lüebeck, Lüebeck, Germany
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26
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Petrozziello T, Amaral AC, Dujardin S, Farhan SMK, Chan J, Trombetta BA, Kivisäkk P, Mills AN, Bordt EA, Kim SE, Dooley PM, Commins C, Connors TR, Oakley DH, Ghosal A, Gomez-Isla T, Hyman BT, Arnold SE, Spires-Jones T, Cudkowicz ME, Berry JD, Sadri-Vakili G. Novel genetic variants in MAPT and alterations in tau phosphorylation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis post-mortem motor cortex and cerebrospinal fluid. Brain Pathol 2021; 32:e13035. [PMID: 34779076 PMCID: PMC8877756 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.13035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the molecular mechanisms underlying amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are not yet fully understood, several studies report alterations in tau phosphorylation in both sporadic and familial ALS. Recently, we have demonstrated that phosphorylated tau at S396 (pTau‐S396) is mislocalized to synapses in ALS motor cortex (mCTX) and contributes to mitochondrial dysfunction. Here, we demonstrate that while there was no overall increase in total tau, pTau‐S396, and pTau‐S404 in ALS post‐mortem mCTX, total tau and pTau‐S396 were increased in C9ORF72‐ALS. Additionally, there was a significant decrease in pTau‐T181 in ALS mCTX compared controls. Furthermore, we leveraged the ALS Knowledge Portal and Project MinE data sets and identified ALS‐specific genetic variants across MAPT, the gene encoding tau. Lastly, assessment of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples revealed a significant increase in total tau levels in bulbar‐onset ALS together with a decrease in CSF pTau‐T181:tau ratio in all ALS samples, as reported previously. While increases in CSF tau levels correlated with a faster disease progression as measured by the revised ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS‐R), decreases in CSF pTau‐T181:tau ratio correlated with a slower disease progression, suggesting that CSF total tau and pTau‐T181 ratio may serve as biomarkers of disease in ALS. Our findings highlight the potential role of pTau‐T181 in ALS, as decreases in CSF pTau‐T181:tau ratio may reflect the significant decrease in pTau‐T181 in post‐mortem mCTX. Taken together, these results indicate that tau phosphorylation is altered in ALS post‐mortem mCTX as well as in CSF and, importantly, the newly described pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants identified in MAPT in this study are adjacent to T181 and S396 phosphorylation sites further highlighting the potential role of these tau functional domains in ALS. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are not yet fully understood, recent studies report alterations in tau phosphorylation in ALS. Our study builds on these findings and demonstrates that tau phosphorylation is altered in post‐mortem ALS motor cortex and highlights new and ALS‐specific variants in MAPT, the gene encoding tau. Lastly, we report alterations in phosphorylated tau in ALS cerebrospinal fluid that may function as a predictive biomarker for ALS.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana Petrozziello
- Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Mass General, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ana C Amaral
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Simon Dujardin
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sali M K Farhan
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - James Chan
- Biostatistics Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bianca A Trombetta
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Pia Kivisäkk
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alexandra N Mills
- Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Mass General, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Evan A Bordt
- Department of Pediatrics, Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Spencer E Kim
- Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Mass General, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Patrick M Dooley
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Caitlin Commins
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Theresa R Connors
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Derek H Oakley
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anubrata Ghosal
- Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Mass General, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Teresa Gomez-Isla
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Steven E Arnold
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tara Spires-Jones
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, UK
| | - Merit E Cudkowicz
- Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Mass General, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - James D Berry
- Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Mass General, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ghazaleh Sadri-Vakili
- Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Mass General, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Neurofilaments can differentiate ALS subgroups and ALS from common diagnostic mimics. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22128. [PMID: 34764380 PMCID: PMC8585882 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01499-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis are frequent in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the most common form of motor neuron disease (MND). Neurofilament light chain (NFL) and phosphorylated neurofilament heavy chain (pNFH) are elevated in ALS patients. We retrospectively quantified cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) NFL, CSF pNFH and plasma NFL in stored samples that were collected at the diagnostic work-up of ALS patients (n = 234), ALS mimics (n = 44) and controls (n = 9). We assessed the diagnostic performance, prognostication value and relationship to the site of onset and genotype. CSF NFL, CSF pNFH and plasma NFL levels were significantly increased in ALS patients compared to patients with neuropathies & myelopathies, patients with myopathies and controls. Furthermore, CSF pNFH and plasma NFL levels were significantly higher in ALS patients than in patients with other MNDs. Bulbar onset ALS patients had significantly higher plasma NFL levels than spinal onset ALS patients. ALS patients with C9orf72HRE mutations had significantly higher plasma NFL levels than patients with SOD1 mutations. Survival was negatively correlated with all three biomarkers. Receiver operating characteristics showed the highest area under the curve for CSF pNFH for differentiating ALS from ALS mimics and for plasma NFL for estimating ALS short and long survival. All three biomarkers have diagnostic value in differentiating ALS from clinically relevant ALS mimics. Plasma NFL levels can be used to differentiate between clinical and genetic ALS subgroups.
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28
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Zhou YN, Chen YH, Dong SQ, Yang WB, Qian T, Liu XN, Cheng Q, Wang JC, Chen XJ. Role of Blood Neurofilaments in the Prognosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Meta-Analysis. Front Neurol 2021; 12:712245. [PMID: 34690913 PMCID: PMC8526968 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.712245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Neurofilaments in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and in blood are considered promising biomarkers of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) because their levels can be significantly increased in patients with ALS. However, the roles of neurofilaments, especially blood neurofilaments, in the prognosis of ALS are inconsistent. We performed a meta-analysis to explore the prognostic roles of blood neurofilaments in ALS patients. Methods: We searched all relevant studies on the relationship between blood neurofilament levels and the prognosis of ALS patients in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science before February 2, 2021. The quality of the included articles was assessed using the Quality in Prognosis Studies (QUIPS) scale, and R (version 4.02) was used for statistical analysis. Results: Fourteen articles were selected, covering 1,619 ALS patients. The results showed that higher blood neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels in ALS patients were associated with a higher risk of death [medium vs. low NfL level: HR = 2.43, 95% CI (1.34–4.39), p < 0.01; high vs. low NfL level: HR = 4.51, 95% CI (2.45–8.32), p < 0.01]. There was a positive correlation between blood phosphorylated neurofilament heavy chain (pNfH) levels and risk of death in ALS patients [HR = 1.87, 95% CI (1.35–2.59), p < 0.01]. The levels of NfL and pNfH in blood positively correlated with disease progression rate (DPR) of ALS patients [NfL: summary r = 0.53, 95% CI (0.45–0.60), p < 0.01; pNfH: summary r = 0.51, 95% CI (0.24–0.71), p < 0.01]. Conclusion: The blood neurofilament levels can predict the prognosis of ALS patients; specifically, higher levels of blood neurofilaments are associated with a greater risk of death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Ni Zhou
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Institute of Neurology, Fudan University and National Center Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China
| | - You-Hong Chen
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Si-Qi Dong
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Institute of Neurology, Fudan University and National Center Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen-Bo Yang
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Institute of Neurology, Fudan University and National Center Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China
| | - Ting Qian
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Institute of Neurology, Fudan University and National Center Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Ni Liu
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Institute of Neurology, Fudan University and National Center Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Cheng
- Department of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated With the School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiu-Cun Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital and Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Rheumatology, Immunology and Allergy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiang-Jun Chen
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Institute of Neurology, Fudan University and National Center Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China.,Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital and Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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29
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Yuan A, Nixon RA. Neurofilament Proteins as Biomarkers to Monitor Neurological Diseases and the Efficacy of Therapies. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:689938. [PMID: 34646114 PMCID: PMC8503617 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.689938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Biomarkers of neurodegeneration and neuronal injury have the potential to improve diagnostic accuracy, disease monitoring, prognosis, and measure treatment efficacy. Neurofilament proteins (NfPs) are well suited as biomarkers in these contexts because they are major neuron-specific components that maintain structural integrity and are sensitive to neurodegeneration and neuronal injury across a wide range of neurologic diseases. Low levels of NfPs are constantly released from neurons into the extracellular space and ultimately reach the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood under physiological conditions throughout normal brain development, maturation, and aging. NfP levels in CSF and blood rise above normal in response to neuronal injury and neurodegeneration independently of cause. NfPs in CSF measured by lumbar puncture are about 40-fold more concentrated than in blood in healthy individuals. New ultra-sensitive methods now allow minimally invasive measurement of these low levels of NfPs in serum or plasma to track disease onset and progression in neurological disorders or nervous system injury and assess responses to therapeutic interventions. Any of the five Nf subunits - neurofilament light chain (NfL), neurofilament medium chain (NfM), neurofilament heavy chain (NfH), alpha-internexin (INA) and peripherin (PRPH) may be altered in a given neuropathological condition. In familial and sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD), plasma NfL levels may rise as early as 22 years before clinical onset in familial AD and 10 years before sporadic AD. The major determinants of elevated levels of NfPs and degradation fragments in CSF and blood are the magnitude of damaged or degenerating axons of fiber tracks, the affected axon caliber sizes and the rate of release of NfP and fragments at different stages of a given neurological disease or condition directly or indirectly affecting central nervous system (CNS) and/or peripheral nervous system (PNS). NfPs are rapidly emerging as transformative blood biomarkers in neurology providing novel insights into a wide range of neurological diseases and advancing clinical trials. Here we summarize the current understanding of intracellular NfP physiology, pathophysiology and extracellular kinetics of NfPs in biofluids and review the value and limitations of NfPs and degradation fragments as biomarkers of neurodegeneration and neuronal injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidong Yuan
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Ralph A. Nixon
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, (NYU), Neuroscience Institute, New York, NY, United States
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30
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Berry J, Brooks B, Genge A, Heiman-Patterson T, Appel S, Benatar M, Bowser R, Cudkowicz M, Gooch C, Shefner J, Westra J, Agnese W, Merrill C, Nelson S, Apple S. Radicava/Edaravone Findings in Biomarkers From Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (REFINE-ALS): Protocol and Study Design. Neurol Clin Pract 2021; 11:e472-e479. [PMID: 34476128 PMCID: PMC8382414 DOI: 10.1212/cpj.0000000000000968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Objectives To identify putative biomarkers that may serve as quantifiable, biological, nonclinical measures of the pharmacodynamic effect of edaravone in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and to report real-world treatment outcomes. Methods This is a prospective, observational, longitudinal, multicenter (up to 40 sites) US study (Clinicaltrials.gov; NCT04259255) with at least 200 patients with ALS who will receive edaravone for 24 weeks (6 cycles; Food and Drug Administration-approved regimen). All participants must either be treatment naive for edaravone or be more than 1 month without receiving any edaravone dose before screening. Biomarker quantification and other assessments will be performed at baseline (before cycle 1) and during cycles 1, 3, and 6. Selected biomarkers of oxidative stress, inflammation, neuronal injury and death, and muscle injury, as well as biomarker discovery panels (EpiSwitch and SOMAscan), will be evaluated and, when feasible, compared with biobanked samples. Clinical efficacy assessments will include the ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised, King's clinical staging, ALS Assessment Questionnaire-40, Appel ALS Score (Rating Scale), slow vital capacity, hand-held dynamometry and grip strength, and time to specified states of disease progression or death. DNA samples will also be collected for potential genomic evaluation. The predicted rates of progression and survival, and their potential correlations with biomarkers, will be evaluated. Adverse events related to the study will be reported. Results The study is estimated to be completed in 2022 with an interim analysis planned. Conclusions Findings may help to further the understanding of the pharmacodynamic effect of edaravone, including changes in biomarkers, in response to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Berry
- Massachusetts General Hospital (JB), Boston; Atrium Health Neurosciences Institute (BB), Carolinas Medical Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine-Charlotte Campus; Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (AG), QC, Canada; Lewis Katz School of Medicine (TH-P), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA; Houston Methodist (S. Appel), TX; University of Miami (MB), FL; Barrow Neurological Institute (RB, JS), Phoenix, AZ; Harvard Medical School (MC), Boston, MA; University of South Florida (CG), Tampa; Oxford BioDynamics Inc. (JW), Wilmington, DE; and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America (WA, CM, SN, S. Apple), Inc., Jersey City, NJ
| | - Benjamin Brooks
- Massachusetts General Hospital (JB), Boston; Atrium Health Neurosciences Institute (BB), Carolinas Medical Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine-Charlotte Campus; Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (AG), QC, Canada; Lewis Katz School of Medicine (TH-P), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA; Houston Methodist (S. Appel), TX; University of Miami (MB), FL; Barrow Neurological Institute (RB, JS), Phoenix, AZ; Harvard Medical School (MC), Boston, MA; University of South Florida (CG), Tampa; Oxford BioDynamics Inc. (JW), Wilmington, DE; and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America (WA, CM, SN, S. Apple), Inc., Jersey City, NJ
| | - Angela Genge
- Massachusetts General Hospital (JB), Boston; Atrium Health Neurosciences Institute (BB), Carolinas Medical Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine-Charlotte Campus; Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (AG), QC, Canada; Lewis Katz School of Medicine (TH-P), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA; Houston Methodist (S. Appel), TX; University of Miami (MB), FL; Barrow Neurological Institute (RB, JS), Phoenix, AZ; Harvard Medical School (MC), Boston, MA; University of South Florida (CG), Tampa; Oxford BioDynamics Inc. (JW), Wilmington, DE; and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America (WA, CM, SN, S. Apple), Inc., Jersey City, NJ
| | - Terry Heiman-Patterson
- Massachusetts General Hospital (JB), Boston; Atrium Health Neurosciences Institute (BB), Carolinas Medical Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine-Charlotte Campus; Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (AG), QC, Canada; Lewis Katz School of Medicine (TH-P), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA; Houston Methodist (S. Appel), TX; University of Miami (MB), FL; Barrow Neurological Institute (RB, JS), Phoenix, AZ; Harvard Medical School (MC), Boston, MA; University of South Florida (CG), Tampa; Oxford BioDynamics Inc. (JW), Wilmington, DE; and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America (WA, CM, SN, S. Apple), Inc., Jersey City, NJ
| | - Stanley Appel
- Massachusetts General Hospital (JB), Boston; Atrium Health Neurosciences Institute (BB), Carolinas Medical Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine-Charlotte Campus; Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (AG), QC, Canada; Lewis Katz School of Medicine (TH-P), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA; Houston Methodist (S. Appel), TX; University of Miami (MB), FL; Barrow Neurological Institute (RB, JS), Phoenix, AZ; Harvard Medical School (MC), Boston, MA; University of South Florida (CG), Tampa; Oxford BioDynamics Inc. (JW), Wilmington, DE; and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America (WA, CM, SN, S. Apple), Inc., Jersey City, NJ
| | - Michael Benatar
- Massachusetts General Hospital (JB), Boston; Atrium Health Neurosciences Institute (BB), Carolinas Medical Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine-Charlotte Campus; Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (AG), QC, Canada; Lewis Katz School of Medicine (TH-P), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA; Houston Methodist (S. Appel), TX; University of Miami (MB), FL; Barrow Neurological Institute (RB, JS), Phoenix, AZ; Harvard Medical School (MC), Boston, MA; University of South Florida (CG), Tampa; Oxford BioDynamics Inc. (JW), Wilmington, DE; and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America (WA, CM, SN, S. Apple), Inc., Jersey City, NJ
| | - Robert Bowser
- Massachusetts General Hospital (JB), Boston; Atrium Health Neurosciences Institute (BB), Carolinas Medical Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine-Charlotte Campus; Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (AG), QC, Canada; Lewis Katz School of Medicine (TH-P), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA; Houston Methodist (S. Appel), TX; University of Miami (MB), FL; Barrow Neurological Institute (RB, JS), Phoenix, AZ; Harvard Medical School (MC), Boston, MA; University of South Florida (CG), Tampa; Oxford BioDynamics Inc. (JW), Wilmington, DE; and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America (WA, CM, SN, S. Apple), Inc., Jersey City, NJ
| | - Merit Cudkowicz
- Massachusetts General Hospital (JB), Boston; Atrium Health Neurosciences Institute (BB), Carolinas Medical Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine-Charlotte Campus; Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (AG), QC, Canada; Lewis Katz School of Medicine (TH-P), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA; Houston Methodist (S. Appel), TX; University of Miami (MB), FL; Barrow Neurological Institute (RB, JS), Phoenix, AZ; Harvard Medical School (MC), Boston, MA; University of South Florida (CG), Tampa; Oxford BioDynamics Inc. (JW), Wilmington, DE; and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America (WA, CM, SN, S. Apple), Inc., Jersey City, NJ
| | - Clifton Gooch
- Massachusetts General Hospital (JB), Boston; Atrium Health Neurosciences Institute (BB), Carolinas Medical Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine-Charlotte Campus; Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (AG), QC, Canada; Lewis Katz School of Medicine (TH-P), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA; Houston Methodist (S. Appel), TX; University of Miami (MB), FL; Barrow Neurological Institute (RB, JS), Phoenix, AZ; Harvard Medical School (MC), Boston, MA; University of South Florida (CG), Tampa; Oxford BioDynamics Inc. (JW), Wilmington, DE; and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America (WA, CM, SN, S. Apple), Inc., Jersey City, NJ
| | - Jeremy Shefner
- Massachusetts General Hospital (JB), Boston; Atrium Health Neurosciences Institute (BB), Carolinas Medical Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine-Charlotte Campus; Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (AG), QC, Canada; Lewis Katz School of Medicine (TH-P), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA; Houston Methodist (S. Appel), TX; University of Miami (MB), FL; Barrow Neurological Institute (RB, JS), Phoenix, AZ; Harvard Medical School (MC), Boston, MA; University of South Florida (CG), Tampa; Oxford BioDynamics Inc. (JW), Wilmington, DE; and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America (WA, CM, SN, S. Apple), Inc., Jersey City, NJ
| | - Jurjen Westra
- Massachusetts General Hospital (JB), Boston; Atrium Health Neurosciences Institute (BB), Carolinas Medical Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine-Charlotte Campus; Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (AG), QC, Canada; Lewis Katz School of Medicine (TH-P), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA; Houston Methodist (S. Appel), TX; University of Miami (MB), FL; Barrow Neurological Institute (RB, JS), Phoenix, AZ; Harvard Medical School (MC), Boston, MA; University of South Florida (CG), Tampa; Oxford BioDynamics Inc. (JW), Wilmington, DE; and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America (WA, CM, SN, S. Apple), Inc., Jersey City, NJ
| | - Wendy Agnese
- Massachusetts General Hospital (JB), Boston; Atrium Health Neurosciences Institute (BB), Carolinas Medical Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine-Charlotte Campus; Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (AG), QC, Canada; Lewis Katz School of Medicine (TH-P), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA; Houston Methodist (S. Appel), TX; University of Miami (MB), FL; Barrow Neurological Institute (RB, JS), Phoenix, AZ; Harvard Medical School (MC), Boston, MA; University of South Florida (CG), Tampa; Oxford BioDynamics Inc. (JW), Wilmington, DE; and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America (WA, CM, SN, S. Apple), Inc., Jersey City, NJ
| | - Charlotte Merrill
- Massachusetts General Hospital (JB), Boston; Atrium Health Neurosciences Institute (BB), Carolinas Medical Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine-Charlotte Campus; Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (AG), QC, Canada; Lewis Katz School of Medicine (TH-P), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA; Houston Methodist (S. Appel), TX; University of Miami (MB), FL; Barrow Neurological Institute (RB, JS), Phoenix, AZ; Harvard Medical School (MC), Boston, MA; University of South Florida (CG), Tampa; Oxford BioDynamics Inc. (JW), Wilmington, DE; and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America (WA, CM, SN, S. Apple), Inc., Jersey City, NJ
| | - Sally Nelson
- Massachusetts General Hospital (JB), Boston; Atrium Health Neurosciences Institute (BB), Carolinas Medical Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine-Charlotte Campus; Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (AG), QC, Canada; Lewis Katz School of Medicine (TH-P), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA; Houston Methodist (S. Appel), TX; University of Miami (MB), FL; Barrow Neurological Institute (RB, JS), Phoenix, AZ; Harvard Medical School (MC), Boston, MA; University of South Florida (CG), Tampa; Oxford BioDynamics Inc. (JW), Wilmington, DE; and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America (WA, CM, SN, S. Apple), Inc., Jersey City, NJ
| | - Stephen Apple
- Massachusetts General Hospital (JB), Boston; Atrium Health Neurosciences Institute (BB), Carolinas Medical Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine-Charlotte Campus; Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (AG), QC, Canada; Lewis Katz School of Medicine (TH-P), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA; Houston Methodist (S. Appel), TX; University of Miami (MB), FL; Barrow Neurological Institute (RB, JS), Phoenix, AZ; Harvard Medical School (MC), Boston, MA; University of South Florida (CG), Tampa; Oxford BioDynamics Inc. (JW), Wilmington, DE; and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America (WA, CM, SN, S. Apple), Inc., Jersey City, NJ
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Puentes F, Lombardi V, Lu CH, Yildiz O, Fratta P, Isaacs A, Bobeva Y, Wuu J, Benatar M, Malaspina A. Humoral response to neurofilaments and dipeptide repeats in ALS progression. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2021; 8:1831-1844. [PMID: 34318620 PMCID: PMC8419401 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To appraise the utility as biomarkers of blood antibodies and immune complexes to neurofilaments and dipeptide repeat proteins, the products of translation of the most common genetic mutation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods Antibodies and immune complexes against neurofilament light, medium, heavy chains as well as poly‐(GP)‐(GR) dipeptide repeats were measured in blood samples from the ALS Biomarkers (n = 107) and the phenotype–genotype biomarker (n = 129) studies and in 140 healthy controls. Target analyte levels were studied longitudinally in 37 ALS cases. Participants were stratified according to the rate of disease progression estimated before and after baseline and C9orf72 genetic status. Survival and longitudinal analyses were undertaken with reference to matched neurofilament protein expression. Results Compared to healthy controls, total neurofilament proteins and antibodies, neurofilament light immune complexes (p < 0.0001), and neurofilament heavy antibodies (p = 0.0061) were significantly elevated in ALS, patients with faster progressing disease (p < 0.0001) and in ALS cases with a C9orf72 mutation (p < 0.0003). Blood neurofilament light protein discriminated better ALS from healthy controls (AUC: 0.92; p < 0.0001) and faster from slower progressing ALS (AUC: 0.86; p < 0.0001) compared to heavy‐chain antibodies and light‐chain immune complexes (AUC: 0.79; p < 0.0001 and AUC: 0.74; p < 0.0001). Lower neurofilament heavy antibodies were associated with longer survival (Log‐rank Chi‐square: 7.39; p = 0.0065). Increasing levels of antibodies and immune complexes between time points were observed in faster progressing ALS. Conclusions We report a distinctive humoral response characterized by raising antibodies against neurofilaments and dipeptide repeats in faster progressing and C9orf72 genetic mutation carriers ALS patients. We confirm the significance of plasma neurofilament proteins in the clinical stratification of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola Puentes
- Neurodegeneration Group, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 2AT, United Kingdom.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Vittoria Lombardi
- Neurodegeneration Group, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 2AT, United Kingdom.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Ching-Hua Lu
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom.,School of Medicine, China Medical University, 91 Xueshi Road, North District, Taichung City, 404, Taiwan
| | - Ozlem Yildiz
- Neurodegeneration Group, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 2AT, United Kingdom.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Pietro Fratta
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Adrian Isaacs
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Yoana Bobeva
- Neurodegeneration Group, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 2AT, United Kingdom.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Joanne Wuu
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
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- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
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- Department of Neurology, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Michael Benatar
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Andrea Malaspina
- Neurodegeneration Group, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 2AT, United Kingdom.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
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32
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Barro C, Zetterberg H. The blood biomarkers puzzle - A review of protein biomarkers in neurodegenerative diseases. J Neurosci Methods 2021; 361:109281. [PMID: 34237384 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are heterogeneous in their cause and clinical presentation making clinical assessment and disease monitoring challenging. Because of this, there is an urgent need for objective tools such as fluid biomarkers able to quantitate different aspects of the disease. In the last decade, technological improvements and awareness of the importance of biorepositories led to the discovery of an evolving number of fluid biomarkers covering the main characteristics of neurodegenerative diseases such as neurodegeneration, protein aggregates and inflammation. The ability to quantitate each aspect of the disease at a high definition enables a more precise stratification of the patients at inclusion in clinical trials, hence reducing the noise that may hamper the detection of therapeutical efficacy and allowing for smaller but likewise powered studies, which particularly improves the ability to start clinical trials for rare neurological diseases. Moreover, the use of fluid biomarkers has the potential to support a targeted therapeutical intervention, as it is now emerging for the treatment of amyloid-beta deposition in patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Here we review the knowledge that evolved from the measurement of fluid biomarker proteins in neurodegenerative conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Barro
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - 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, Queen Square, London, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK; Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hong Kong, China
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33
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Obrador E, Salvador-Palmer R, López-Blanch R, Jihad-Jebbar A, Vallés SL, Estrela JM. The Link between Oxidative Stress, Redox Status, Bioenergetics and Mitochondria in the Pathophysiology of ALS. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22126352. [PMID: 34198557 PMCID: PMC8231819 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22126352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common neurodegenerative disease of the motor system. It is characterized by the degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons, which leads to muscle weakness and paralysis. ALS is incurable and has a bleak prognosis, with median survival of 3-5 years after the initial symptomatology. In ALS, motor neurons gradually degenerate and die. Many features of mitochondrial dysfunction are manifested in neurodegenerative diseases, including ALS. Mitochondria have shown to be an early target in ALS pathophysiology and contribute to disease progression. Disruption of their axonal transport, excessive generation of reactive oxygen species, disruption of the mitochondrial structure, dynamics, mitophagy, energy production, calcium buffering and apoptotic triggering have all been directly involved in disease pathogenesis and extensively reported in ALS patients and animal model systems. Alterations in energy production by motor neurons, which severely limit their survival capacity, are tightly linked to the redox status and mitochondria. The present review focuses on this link. Placing oxidative stress as a main pathophysiological mechanism, the molecular interactions and metabolic flows involved are analyzed. This leads to discussing potential therapeutic approaches targeting mitochondrial biology to slow disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Obrador
- Correspondence: (E.O.); (J.M.E.); Tel.: +34-963864646 (J.M.E.)
| | | | | | | | | | - José M. Estrela
- Correspondence: (E.O.); (J.M.E.); Tel.: +34-963864646 (J.M.E.)
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A multicentre validation study of the diagnostic value of plasma neurofilament light. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3400. [PMID: 34099648 PMCID: PMC8185001 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23620-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 200] [Impact Index Per Article: 66.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Increased cerebrospinal fluid neurofilament light (NfL) is a recognized biomarker for neurodegeneration that can also be assessed in blood. Here, we investigate plasma NfL as a marker of neurodegeneration in 13 neurodegenerative disorders, Down syndrome, depression and cognitively unimpaired controls from two multicenter cohorts: King’s College London (n = 805) and the Swedish BioFINDER study (n = 1,464). Plasma NfL was significantly increased in all cortical neurodegenerative disorders, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and atypical parkinsonian disorders. We demonstrate that plasma NfL is clinically useful in identifying atypical parkinsonian disorders in patients with parkinsonism, dementia in individuals with Down syndrome, dementia among psychiatric disorders, and frontotemporal dementia in patients with cognitive impairment. Data-driven cut-offs highlighted the fundamental importance of age-related clinical cut-offs for disorders with a younger age of onset. Finally, plasma NfL performs best when applied to indicate no underlying neurodegeneration, with low false positives, in all age-related cut-offs. Cerebrospinal fluid neurofilament light (NfL) is a biomarker for neurodegeneration that can also be assessed in blood. Here the authors show in a validation study the potential for plasma NfL as a biomarker for several neurodegenerative diseases.
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35
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Inherited Neuromuscular Disorders: Which Role for Serum Biomarkers? Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11030398. [PMID: 33801069 PMCID: PMC8004068 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11030398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Inherited neuromuscular disorders (INMD) are a heterogeneous group of rare diseases that involve muscles, motor neurons, peripheral nerves or the neuromuscular junction. Several different lab abnormalities have been linked to INMD: sometimes they are typical of the disorder, but they usually appear to be less specific. Sometimes serum biomarkers can point out abnormalities in presymtomatic or otherwise asymptomatic patients (e.g., carriers). More often a biomarker of INMD is evaluated by multiple clinicians other than expert in NMD before the diagnosis, because of the multisystemic involvement in INMD. The authors performed a literature search on biomarkers in inherited neuromuscular disorders to provide a practical approach to the diagnosis and the correct management of INMD. A considerable number of biomarkers have been reported that support the diagnosis of INMD, but the role of an expert clinician is crucial. Hence, the complete knowledge of such abnormalities can accelerate the diagnostic workup supporting the referral to specialists in neuromuscular disorders.
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Agnello L, Colletti T, Lo Sasso B, Vidali M, Spataro R, Gambino CM, Giglio RV, Piccoli T, Bivona G, La Bella V, Ciaccio M. Tau protein as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Eur J Neurol 2021; 28:1868-1875. [PMID: 33638255 DOI: 10.1111/ene.14789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE To test the hypothesis that total tau (tTau), tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 (pTau) and pTau/tTau ratio in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), we performed a retrospective observational study in a large cohort of ALS patients and controls. METHODS We enrolled 196 ALS patients and 91 controls, who included patients with ALS-mimicking diseases and those with non-neurodegenerative diseases. All patients underwent lumbar puncture for CSF analysis at the time of the diagnostic evaluation or to first referral. We measured tTau and pTau levels in the CSF by chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS Patients with ALS showed significantly higher levels of CSF tTau and a lower pTau/tTau ratio than controls (tTau: 245 vs. 146 pg/ml; p < 0.001; pTau/tTau ratio: 0.12 vs. 0.18; p < 0.001, respectively). No differences in pTau levels were detected. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis showed a good diagnostic accuracy of tTau and pTau/tTau ratio (tTau: area under the curve [AUC] 0.685, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.616-0.754, p = 0.039; pTau/tTau ratio: AUC 0.777, 95% CI 0.707-0.848, p < 0.001). Among ALS patients, increased tTau levels were associated with advanced age of onset, increased revised amyotrophic lateral sclerosis functional rating scale (ALSFRS-R) score (ΔFS) rate of progression, and spinal onset. Multivariate analysis showed that in ALS patients, this biomarker was an independent negative predictor of overall survival. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that tTau and pTau/tTau ratio can be diagnostic biomarkers of ALS. In addition, CSF tTau level at diagnosis might play a relevant prognostic role in the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Agnello
- Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Tiziana Colletti
- ALS Clinical Research Center and Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Bruna Lo Sasso
- Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital "P. Giaccone", Palermo, Italy
| | - Matteo Vidali
- Unit of Clinical Chemistry, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, Novara, Italy
| | | | - Caterina Maria Gambino
- Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Rosaria Vincenza Giglio
- Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Tommaso Piccoli
- Unit of Neurology, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giulia Bivona
- Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Vincenzo La Bella
- ALS Clinical Research Center and Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Marcello Ciaccio
- Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital "P. Giaccone", Palermo, Italy
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Strong MJ, Donison NS, Volkening K. Alterations in Tau Metabolism in ALS and ALS-FTSD. Front Neurol 2020; 11:598907. [PMID: 33329356 PMCID: PMC7719764 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.598907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
There is increasing acceptance that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), classically considered a neurodegenerative disease affecting almost exclusively motor neurons, is syndromic with both clinical and biological heterogeneity. This is most evident in its association with a broad range of neuropsychological, behavioral, speech and language deficits [collectively termed ALS frontotemporal spectrum disorder (ALS-FTSD)]. Although the most consistent pathology of ALS and ALS-FTSD is a disturbance in TAR DNA binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43) metabolism, alterations in microtubule-associated tau protein (tau) metabolism can also be observed in ALS-FTSD, most prominently as pathological phosphorylation at Thr175 (pThr175tau). pThr175 has been shown to promote exposure of the phosphatase activating domain (PAD) in the tau N-terminus with the consequent activation of GSK3β mediated phosphorylation at Thr231 (pThr231tau) leading to pathological oligomer formation. This pathological cascade of tau phosphorylation has been observed in chronic traumatic encephalopathy with ALS (CTE-ALS) and in both in vivo and in vitro experimental paradigms, suggesting that it is of critical relevance to the pathobiology of ALS-FTSD. It is also evident that the co-existence of alterations in the metabolism of TDP-43 and tau acts synergistically in a rodent model to exacerbate the pathology of either.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Strong
- Molecular Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Neil S Donison
- Molecular Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Kathryn Volkening
- Molecular Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
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38
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Different Clinical Contexts of Use of Blood Neurofilament Light Chain Protein in the Spectrum of Neurodegenerative Diseases. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 57:4667-4691. [PMID: 32772223 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02035-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
One of the most pressing challenges in the clinical research of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) is the validation and standardization of pathophysiological biomarkers for different contexts of use (CoUs), such as early detection, diagnosis, prognosis, and prediction of treatment response. Neurofilament light chain (NFL) concentration is a particularly promising candidate, an indicator of axonal degeneration, which can be analyzed in peripheral blood with advanced ultrasensitive methods. Serum/plasma NFL concentration is closely correlated with cerebrospinal fluid NFL and directly reflects neurodegeneration within the central nervous system. Here, we provide an update on the feasible CoU of blood NFL in NDDs and translate recent findings to potentially valuable clinical practice applications. As NFL is not a disease-specific biomarker, however, blood NFL is an easily accessible biomarker with promising different clinical applications for several NDDs: (1) early detection and diagnosis (i.e., amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, atypical parkinsonisms, sporadic late-onset ataxias), (2) prognosis (Huntington's disease and Parkinson's disease), and (3) prediction of time to symptom onset (presymptomatic mutation carriers in genetic Alzheimer's disease and spinocerebellar ataxia type 3).
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39
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Studying ALS: Current Approaches, Effect on Potential Treatment Strategy. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1241:195-217. [PMID: 32383122 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-41283-8_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by inevitable progressive paralysis. To date, only two disease modifying therapeutic options are available for the patients with ALS, although they show very modest effect on disease course. The main reason of failure in the field of pharmacological correction of ALS is inability to untangle complex relationships taking place during ALS initiation and progression. Traditional methods of research, based on morphology or transgenic animal models studying provided lots of information about ALS throughout the years. However, translation of these results to humans was unsuccessful due to incomplete recapitulation of molecular pathology and overall inadequacy of the models used in the research.In this review we summarize current knowledge regarding ALS molecular pathology with depiction of novel methods applied recently for the studies. Furthermore we describe present and potential treatment strategies that are based on the recent findings in ALS disease mechanisms.
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40
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Saul J, Hutchins E, Reiman R, Saul M, Ostrow LW, Harris BT, Van Keuren-Jensen K, Bowser R, Bakkar N. Global alterations to the choroid plexus blood-CSF barrier in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2020; 8:92. [PMID: 32586411 PMCID: PMC7318439 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-020-00968-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The choroid plexus (CP) is a highly vascularized structure located in the ventricles that forms the blood-CSF barrier (BCSFB) and separates the blood from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In addition to its role as a physical barrier, the CP functions in CSF secretion, transport of nutrients into the central nervous system (CNS) and a gated point of entry of circulating immune cells into the CNS. Aging and neurodegeneration have been reported to affect CP morphology and function and increase protein leakage from blood to the CSF. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease associated with both upper and lower motor neuron loss, as well as altered proteomic and metabolomic signatures in the CSF. The role of the BCSFB and the CP in ALS is unknown. Here we describe a transcriptomic and ultrastructural analysis of BCSFB and CP alterations in human postmortem tissues from ALS and non-neurologic disease controls. ALS-CP exhibited widespread disruptions in tight junctional components of the CP epithelial layer and vascular integrity. In addition, we detected loss of pericytes around ALS blood vessels, accompanied by activation of platelet aggregation markers vWF and Fibrinogen, reminiscent of vascular injury. To investigate the immune component of ALS-CP, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of cytokines and chemokine panels in CP lysates and found a significant down-regulation of M-CSF and V-CAM1 in ALS, as well as up-regulation of VEGF-A protein. This phenotype was accompanied by an infiltration of MERTK positive macrophages into the parenchyma of the ALS-CP when compared to controls. Taken together, we demonstrate widespread structural and functional disruptions of the BCSFB in human ALS increasing our understanding of the disease pathology and identifying potential new targets for ALS therapeutic development.
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41
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Bereman MS, Kirkwood KI, Sabaretnam T, Furlong S, Rowe DB, Guillemin GJ, Mellinger AL, Muddiman DC. Metabolite Profiling Reveals Predictive Biomarkers and the Absence of β-Methyl Amino-l-alanine in Plasma from Individuals Diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. J Proteome Res 2020; 19:3276-3285. [PMID: 32418425 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.0c00216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
By employing chip-based capillary zone electrophoresis coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry, we profiled the plasma metabolome of 134 patients diagnosed with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (81 males and 53 females) and 118 individuals deemed healthy (49 males and 69 females). The most significant markers (p < 0.01) were creatine, which was 49% elevated, and creatinine and methylhistidine, which were decreased by 20 and 24%, respectively, in ALS patients. The ratio of creatine versus creatinine increased 370 and 200% for male and female ALS patients, respectively. In addition, male ALS patients on an average had 5-13% lower amounts of seven essential amino acids, whereas females did not significantly differ from healthy controls. We developed two models using the metabolite abundances: (1) a classification model for the separation of ALS and healthy samples and (2) a classification model for the prediction of disease progression based on the ALS functional rating score. Utilizing a Monte Carlo cross-validation approach, a linear discriminant analysis model achieved a mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.85 (0.06) with a mean sensitivity of 80% (9%) and specificity of 78% (10%) for the separation of ALS and controls, respectively. A support vector machine classifier predicted progression categories with an AUC of 0.90 (0.06) with a mean sensitivity of 73% (10%) and a specificity of 86% (5%). Lastly, using a previously reported assay with a stable isotope-labeled (13C315N2) spike-in standard, we were unable to detect the exogenous neurotoxic metabolite, β-methylamino-l-alanine, in the free or protein-bound fraction of any of the 252 plasma samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Bereman
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States.,Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States.,Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Kaylie I Kirkwood
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Tharani Sabaretnam
- The Centre for MND Research Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Sarah Furlong
- The Centre for MND Research Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Dominic B Rowe
- The Centre for MND Research Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Gilles J Guillemin
- The Centre for MND Research Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Allyson L Mellinger
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - David C Muddiman
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States.,Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States.,Molecular Education, Technology and Research Innovation Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
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42
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Kadena K, Vlamos P. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Current Status in Diagnostic Biomarkers. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1195:179-187. [PMID: 32468476 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-32633-3_26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rare, neurodegenerative disease that affects the human motor system. ALS is a highly heterogeneous disease, depending on several causative factors. The heterogeneity of the disease is also reflected in the variation of the symptoms in ALS patients. The worldwide annual incidence of ALS is about 2.08 per 100,000 with uniform rates in Caucasian populations and lower rates in African, Asian, and Hispanic populations, while the number of individuals with ALS is expected to grow significantly between 2015 and 2040 with an estimated increase of 69% (Chio et al. 2013a; Arthur et al. 2016).
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Kadena
- Department of Informatics, Ionian University, Corfu, Greece.
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43
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Anti-neurofilament antibodies and neurodegeneration: Markers and generators. J Neuroimmunol 2020; 344:577248. [PMID: 32344161 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2020.577248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Neuroaxonal injury and loss result in the release of cytoskeleton components, including neurofilaments, into the cerebrospinal fluid and peripheral blood. Once released, neurofilaments are highly immunogenic, inducing a specific antibody response. Anti-neurofilament antibody levels correlate with the progression of diverse neurological diseases; however, their role both in the pathogenesis of disease and as a tool for monitoring disease progression is not well understood. This study reviews the current literature on anti-neurofilament antibodies. We suggest the testing of anti-neurofilament antibodies be further developed for diagnosis and targeted for treatment.
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44
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Lanznaster D, Hergesheimer RC, Bakkouche SE, Beltran S, Vourc’h P, Andres CR, Dufour-Rainfray D, Corcia P, Blasco H. Aβ1-42 and Tau as Potential Biomarkers for Diagnosis and Prognosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21082911. [PMID: 32326346 PMCID: PMC7216266 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21082911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common motor neuron disease, but its definitive diagnosis delays around 12 months. Although the research is highly active in the biomarker field, the absence of specific biomarkers for diagnosis contributes to this long delay. Another strategy of biomarker identification based on less specific but sensitive molecules may be of interest in clinical practice. For example, markers related to other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) could be fully explored. Here, we compared baseline levels of amyloidβ1-42 (Aβ1-42), total Tau, and phosphorylated-Tau (phospho-Tau) protein in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of ALS patients to controls and correlated it with clinical parameters of ALS progression collected over 12 months. We observed increased levels of Aβ1-42 (controls: 992.9 ± 358.3 ng/L; ALS: 1277.0 ± 296.6 ng/L; p < 0.0001) and increased Aβ1-42/phospho-Tau ratio and Innotest Amyloid Tau Index (IATI) (both p < 0.0001). IATI and the phospho-Tau/total Tau ratio correlated positively with ALSFRS-R and weight at baseline. Multivariate analysis revealed that baseline ALSFRS-R was associated with Aβ1-42 and phospho-Tau/total Tau ratio (p = 0.0109 and p = 0.0013, respectively). Total Tau and phospho-Tau levels correlated negatively with ALSFRS-R variation at months 6 and 9, respectively (p = 0.02 and p = 0.04, respectively). Phospho-Tau/total Tau ratio correlated positively with ALSFRS-R variation at month 9 (p = 0.04). CSF levels of Aβ1-42 could be used as a complementary tool to ALS diagnosis, and total Tau and phospho-Tau levels may help establishing the prognosis of ALS. Further studies merit exploring the pathophysiological mechanisms associated with these markers. Despite their lack of specificity, phospho-Tau/total Tau and Aβ1-42 should be combined to other biological and clinical markers in order to improve ALS management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Débora Lanznaster
- UMR 1253, iBrain, University of Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; (R.C.H.); (P.V.); (C.R.A.); (D.D.-R.); (P.C.); (H.B.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Rudolf C. Hergesheimer
- UMR 1253, iBrain, University of Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; (R.C.H.); (P.V.); (C.R.A.); (D.D.-R.); (P.C.); (H.B.)
| | | | - Stephane Beltran
- Centre Constitutif SLA, CHRU Bretonneau, 37000 Tours, France; (S.E.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Patrick Vourc’h
- UMR 1253, iBrain, University of Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; (R.C.H.); (P.V.); (C.R.A.); (D.D.-R.); (P.C.); (H.B.)
- CHU Tours, Service de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Christian R. Andres
- UMR 1253, iBrain, University of Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; (R.C.H.); (P.V.); (C.R.A.); (D.D.-R.); (P.C.); (H.B.)
- CHU Tours, Service de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Diane Dufour-Rainfray
- UMR 1253, iBrain, University of Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; (R.C.H.); (P.V.); (C.R.A.); (D.D.-R.); (P.C.); (H.B.)
- CHU Tours, Service de MNIV, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Philippe Corcia
- UMR 1253, iBrain, University of Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; (R.C.H.); (P.V.); (C.R.A.); (D.D.-R.); (P.C.); (H.B.)
- Centre Constitutif SLA, CHRU Bretonneau, 37000 Tours, France; (S.E.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Hélène Blasco
- UMR 1253, iBrain, University of Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; (R.C.H.); (P.V.); (C.R.A.); (D.D.-R.); (P.C.); (H.B.)
- CHU Tours, Service de MNIV, 37000 Tours, France
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Gordon BA. Neurofilaments in disease: what do we know? Curr Opin Neurobiol 2020; 61:105-115. [PMID: 32151970 PMCID: PMC7198337 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2020.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Revised: 01/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Neurofilaments are proteins selectively expressed in the cytoskeleton of neurons, and increased levels are a marker of damage. Elevated neurofilament levels can serve as a marker of ongoing disease activity as well as a tool to measure response to therapeutic intervention. The potential utility of neurofilaments has drastically increased as recent advances have made it possible to measure levels in both the cerebrospinal fluid and blood. There is mounting evidence that neurofilament light chain (NfL) and phosphorylated neurofilament heavy chain (NfH) are abnormal in a host of neurodegenerative diseases. In this review we examine how both of these proteins behave across diseases and what we know about how these biomarkers relate to in vivo white matter pathology and each other.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian A Gordon
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, MO, USA; Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, MO, USA.
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46
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Suzuki N, Akiyama T, Warita H, Aoki M. Omics Approach to Axonal Dysfunction of Motor Neurons in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Front Neurosci 2020; 14:194. [PMID: 32269505 PMCID: PMC7109447 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an intractable adult-onset neurodegenerative disease that leads to the loss of upper and lower motor neurons (MNs). The long axons of MNs become damaged during the early stages of ALS. Genetic and pathological analyses of ALS patients have revealed dysfunction in the MN axon homeostasis. However, the molecular pathomechanism for the degeneration of axons in ALS has not been fully elucidated. This review provides an overview of the proposed axonal pathomechanisms in ALS, including those involving the neuronal cytoskeleton, cargo transport within axons, axonal energy supply, clearance of junk protein, neuromuscular junctions (NMJs), and aberrant axonal branching. To improve understanding of the global changes in axons, the review summarizes omics analyses of the axonal compartments of neurons in vitro and in vivo, including a motor nerve organoid approach that utilizes microfluidic devices developed by this research group. The review also discusses the relevance of intra-axonal transcription factors frequently identified in these omics analyses. Local axonal translation and the relationship among these pathomechanisms should be pursued further. The development of novel strategies to analyze axon fractions provides a new approach to establishing a detailed understanding of resilience of long MN and MN pathology in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Suzuki
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.,Department of Neurology, Shodo-kai Southern Tohoku General Hospital, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Akiyama
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Warita
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Masashi Aoki
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
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S1 guidelines "lumbar puncture and cerebrospinal fluid analysis" (abridged and translated version). Neurol Res Pract 2020; 2:8. [PMID: 33324914 PMCID: PMC7650145 DOI: 10.1186/s42466-020-0051-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis is important for detecting inflammation of the nervous system and the meninges, bleeding in the area of the subarachnoid space that may not be visualized by imaging, and the spread of malignant diseases to the CSF space. In the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases, the importance of CSF analysis is increasing. Measuring the opening pressure of CSF in idiopathic intracranial hypertension and at spinal tap in normal pressure hydrocephalus constitute diagnostic examination procedures with therapeutic benefits.Recommendations (most important 3-5 recommendations on a glimpse): The indications and contraindications must be checked before lumbar puncture (LP) is performed, and sampling CSF requires the consent of the patient.Puncture with an atraumatic needle is associated with a lower incidence of postpuncture discomfort. The frequency of postpuncture syndrome correlates inversely with age and body mass index, and it is more common in women and patients with a history of headache. The sharp needle is preferably used in older or obese patients, also in punctures expected to be difficult.In order to avoid repeating LP, a sufficient quantity of CSF (at least 10 ml) should be collected. The CSF sample and the serum sample taken at the same time should be sent to a specialized laboratory immediately so that the emergency and basic CSF analysis program can be carried out within 2 h.The indication for LP in anticoagulant therapy should always be decided on an individual basis. The risk of interrupting anticoagulant therapy must be weighed against the increased bleeding risk of LP with anticoagulant therapy.As a quality assurance measure in CSF analysis, it is recommended that all cytological, clinical-chemical, and microbiological findings are combined in an integrated summary report and evaluated by an expert in CSF analysis. Conclusions In view of the importance and developments in CSF analysis, the S1 guideline "Lumbar puncture and cerebrospinal fluid analysis" was recently prepared by the German Society for CSF analysis and clinical neurochemistry (DGLN) and published in German in accordance with the guidelines of the AWMF (https://www.awmf.org). /uploads/tx_szleitlinien/030-141l_S1_Lumbalpunktion_und_Liquordiagnostik_2019-08.pdf). The present article is an abridged translation of the above cited guideline. The guideline has been jointly edited by the DGLN and DGN.
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Swash M, Burke D, Turner MR, Grosskreutz J, Leigh PN, deCarvalho M, Kiernan MC. Occasional essay: Upper motor neuron syndrome in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2020; 91:227-234. [PMID: 32054724 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2019-321938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Swash
- Barts and the London School of Medicine, QMUL, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Univeridade de Lisboa, London, UK
| | - David Burke
- University of Sydney and Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Martin R Turner
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Julian Grosskreutz
- Universitätsklinikum Jena, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - P Nigel Leigh
- Trafford Centre for Biomedical Research, Department of Neuroscience, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - Mamede deCarvalho
- Instituto de Fisiologia, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Univeridade de Lisboa, and Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital de Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Lisboa Norte, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Matthew C Kiernan
- University of Sydney and Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
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Kasai T, Kojima Y, Ohmichi T, Tatebe H, Tsuji Y, Noto YI, Kitani-Morii F, Shinomoto M, Allsop D, Mizuno T, Tokuda T. Combined use of CSF NfL and CSF TDP-43 improves diagnostic performance in ALS. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2019; 6:2489-2502. [PMID: 31742901 PMCID: PMC6917342 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.50943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the diagnostic and prognostic significance of neurofilament light chain (NfL), TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43), and total tau (t-tau) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and to investigate whether the combined use of those biomarker candidates can improve their diagnostic performance. METHODS This was a single-center, prospective, longitudinal study. CSF and plasma samples were collected at the time of enrollment from a discovery cohort of 29 patients with ALS and 29 age-matched controls without neurodegenerative disease. In a validation cohort, there were 46 patients with ALS, and 46 control (not age-matched) patients with motor weakness resulting from neuromuscular diseases. NfL, TDP-43, and t-tau levels in CSF and plasma were measured using ultrasensitive single molecule assay (Simoa) technology. RESULTS The following findings were reproducibly observed among the discovery and validation cohorts: increased levels of CSF NfL, plasma NfL, and CSF TDP-43 in ALS compared with control groups; shorter survival associated with higher levels of CSF and plasma NfL. When the CSF NfL and CSF TDP-43 levels were combined, the areas under the ROC curves (AUC) were slightly improved relative to AUCs for each biomarker alone. INTERPRETATION CSF and plasma NfL may not only serve as diagnostic biomarkers but also provide a measure of disease progression. CSF TDP-43 is also useful as a diagnostic biomarker of ALS, but has no prognostic value. The combined use of CSF NfL and CSF TDP-43 may be a useful biomarker for the diagnosis of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Kasai
- Department of Neurology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, 602-0841, Japan
| | - Yuta Kojima
- Department of Neurology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, 602-0841, Japan
| | - Takuma Ohmichi
- Department of Neurology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, 602-0841, Japan
| | - Harutsugu Tatebe
- Department of Medical Innovation and Translational Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, 602-0841, Japan
| | - Yukiko Tsuji
- Department of Neurology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, 602-0841, Japan
| | - Yu-Ichi Noto
- Department of Neurology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, 602-0841, Japan
| | - Fukiko Kitani-Morii
- Department of Neurology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, 602-0841, Japan
| | - Makiko Shinomoto
- Department of Neurology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, 602-0841, Japan
| | - David Allsop
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, United Kingdom
| | - Toshiki Mizuno
- Department of Neurology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, 602-0841, Japan
| | - Takahiko Tokuda
- Department of Neurology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, 602-0841, Japan.,Department of Molecular Pathobiology of Brain Diseases, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, 602-0841, Japan
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Totzeck A, Stolte B, Kizina K, Bolz S, Schlag M, Thimm A, Kleinschnitz C, Hagenacker T. Neurofilament Heavy Chain and Tau Protein Are Not Elevated in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Adult Patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy during Loading with Nusinersen. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20215397. [PMID: 31671515 PMCID: PMC6862027 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20215397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Nusinersen is the first approved drug for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Treatment of SMA with nusinersen is based on a fixed dosing regimen. For other motoneuron diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), biomarkers are available for clinical diagnostics; however, no such biomarkers have yet been found for SMA. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples of 11 patients with adult SMA type 3 were prospectively collected and analyzed during loading with nusinersen. Neurofilament heavy chain, tau protein, S100B protein, and neuron-specific enolase were investigated as potential biomarkers of motor neuron destruction. No significant pathological alterations in levels of neurofilament heavy chain, tau protein, or S100B protein were detected in the CSF or blood samples under baseline conditions or during loading with nusinersen. Neuron-specific enolase was marginally elevated in CSF and blood samples without significant alteration during treatment. In a mixed cohort of adult patients with SMA type 3, neurofilament heavy chain, tau protein, S100B protein, and neuron-specific enolase do not serve as potential biomarkers during the loading phase of nusinersen. The slow progression rate of SMA type 3 may not lead to detectable elevation of levels of these common markers of axonal degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Totzeck
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147 Essen, Germany.
| | - Benjamin Stolte
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147 Essen, Germany.
| | - Kathrin Kizina
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147 Essen, Germany.
| | - Saskia Bolz
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147 Essen, Germany.
| | - Melina Schlag
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147 Essen, Germany.
| | - Andreas Thimm
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147 Essen, Germany.
| | - Christoph Kleinschnitz
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147 Essen, Germany.
| | - Tim Hagenacker
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147 Essen, Germany.
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