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Wenzel TJ, Mousseau DD. Brain organoids engineered to give rise to glia and neural networks after 90 days in culture exhibit human-specific proteoforms. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1383688. [PMID: 38784709 PMCID: PMC11111902 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1383688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Human brain organoids are emerging as translationally relevant models for the study of human brain health and disease. However, it remains to be shown whether human-specific protein processing is conserved in human brain organoids. Herein, we demonstrate that cell fate and composition of unguided brain organoids are dictated by culture conditions during embryoid body formation, and that culture conditions at this stage can be optimized to result in the presence of glia-associated proteins and neural network activity as early as three-months in vitro. Under these optimized conditions, unguided brain organoids generated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from male-female siblings are similar in growth rate, size, and total protein content, and exhibit minimal batch-to-batch variability in cell composition and metabolism. A comparison of neuronal, microglial, and macroglial (astrocyte and oligodendrocyte) markers reveals that profiles in these brain organoids are more similar to autopsied human cortical and cerebellar profiles than to those in mouse cortical samples, providing the first demonstration that human-specific protein processing is largely conserved in unguided brain organoids. Thus, our organoid protocol provides four major cell types that appear to process proteins in a manner very similar to the human brain, and they do so in half the time required by other protocols. This unique copy of the human brain and basic characteristics lay the foundation for future studies aiming to investigate human brain-specific protein patterning (e.g., isoforms, splice variants) as well as modulate glial and neuronal processes in an in situ-like environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler J. Wenzel
- Cell Signalling Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
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Jing X, Wang L, Song M, Geng H, Li W, Huo Y, Huang A, Wang X, An C. Serum neurofilament light chain and inflammatory cytokines as biomarkers for early detection of mild cognitive impairment. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9072. [PMID: 38643230 PMCID: PMC11032306 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59530-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024] Open
Abstract
To investigate the association between serum neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels, inflammatory cytokines, and cognitive function to assess their utility in the early detection of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 157 community-dwelling individuals aged 55 years and above, categorized into healthy controls, MCI, and probable Alzheimer's disease (AD). Serum levels of NfL, inflammatory cytokines, and AD pathology markers were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Correlations between these biomarkers and cognitive function were analyzed, and the diagnostic performance of the cognitive assessment scales and serum biomarker concentrations was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Serum NfL levels were significantly elevated in MCI and probable AD groups compared to healthy controls. Positive correlations were found between serum NfL and inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and Aβ40. Combining serum NfL with p-tau217 and the Boston Naming Test significantly enhanced the predictive accuracy for MCI. However, combining serum NfL with inflammatory markers did not improve MCI prediction accuracy. Elevated serum NfL is associated with cognitive impairment and inflammatory markers, suggesting its potential as a peripheral serum biomarker for MCI detection. The combination of serum NfL with p-tau217 and cognitive tests could offer a more accurate prediction of MCI, providing new insights for AD treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyang Jing
- Mental Health Center, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders and Institute of Mental Health, Hebei Technical Innovation Center for Mental Health Assessment and Intervention, 89 Donggang Road, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China
| | - Lan Wang
- Mental Health Center, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders and Institute of Mental Health, Hebei Technical Innovation Center for Mental Health Assessment and Intervention, 89 Donggang Road, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050017, Hebei Province, China
| | - Mei Song
- Mental Health Center, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders and Institute of Mental Health, Hebei Technical Innovation Center for Mental Health Assessment and Intervention, 89 Donggang Road, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China
| | - Hao Geng
- Mental Health Center, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders and Institute of Mental Health, Hebei Technical Innovation Center for Mental Health Assessment and Intervention, 89 Donggang Road, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China
| | - Wei Li
- Mental Health Center, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders and Institute of Mental Health, Hebei Technical Innovation Center for Mental Health Assessment and Intervention, 89 Donggang Road, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China
| | - Yaxin Huo
- Mental Health Center, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders and Institute of Mental Health, Hebei Technical Innovation Center for Mental Health Assessment and Intervention, 89 Donggang Road, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China
| | - Anqi Huang
- Mental Health Center, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders and Institute of Mental Health, Hebei Technical Innovation Center for Mental Health Assessment and Intervention, 89 Donggang Road, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China
| | - Xueyi Wang
- Mental Health Center, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders and Institute of Mental Health, Hebei Technical Innovation Center for Mental Health Assessment and Intervention, 89 Donggang Road, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China
| | - Cuixia An
- Mental Health Center, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders and Institute of Mental Health, Hebei Technical Innovation Center for Mental Health Assessment and Intervention, 89 Donggang Road, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China.
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050017, Hebei Province, China.
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Edwards KA, Lange RT, Lippa SM, Brickell TA, Gill JM, French LM. Serum GFAP, NfL, and tau concentrations are associated with worse neurobehavioral functioning following mild, moderate, and severe TBI: a cross-sectional multiple-cohort study. Front Neurol 2024; 14:1223960. [PMID: 38292036 PMCID: PMC10826119 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1223960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The purpose of this study was to examine whether blood-based biomarkers associate with neurobehavioral functioning at three time points following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Materials and methods Participants were 328 United States service members and veterans (SMVs) prospectively enrolled in the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center-Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence (DVBIC-TBICoE) 15-Year Longitudinal TBI Study, recruited into three groups: uncomplicated mild TBI (MTBI, n = 155); complicated mild, moderate, severe TBI combined (STBI, n = 97); non-injured controls (NIC, n = 76). Participants were further divided into three cohorts based on time since injury (≤12 months, 3-5 years, and 8-10 years). Participants completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Format (MMPI-2-RF) and underwent blood draw to measure serum concentrations of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neurofilament light (NfL), and tau. A total of 11 MMPI-2-RF scales were examined (e.g., depression, anxiety, anger, somatic, cognitive symptoms). Stepwise hierarchical regression models were conducted within each group. Results Significant associations were found between biomarkers and MMPI-2-RF scales (all p < 0.05; R2Δ > 0.10). GFAP was inversely related to (a) neurological complaints in the MTBI group at ≤12 months, (b) demoralization, anger proneness in the STBI group at ≤12 months, and (c) head pain complaints in the STBI group at 8-10 years. NfL was (a) related to low positive emotions in the NIC group; and inversely related to (b) demoralization, somatic complaints, neurological complaints, cognitive complaints in the MTBI group at ≤12 months, (c) demoralization in the STBI group at ≤12 months, and (d) demoralization, head pain complaints, stress/worry in the STBI group at 3-5 years. In the STBI group, there were meaningful findings (R2Δ > 0.10) for tau, NFL, and GFAP that did not reach statistical significance. Discussion Results indicate worse scores on some MMPI-2-RF scales (e.g., depression, stress/worry, neurological and head pain complaints) were associated with lower concentrations of serum GFAP, NfL, and tau in the sub-acute and chronic phase of the recovery trajectory up to 5 years post-injury, with a reverse trend observed at 8-10 years. Longitudinal studies are needed to help elucidate any patterns of association between blood-based biomarkers and neurobehavioral outcome over the recovery trajectory following TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie A. Edwards
- School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Rael T. Lange
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, MD, United States
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, United States
- National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Bethesda, MD, United States
- General Dynamics Information Technology, Silver Spring, MD, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Sara M. Lippa
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, United States
- National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Tracey A. Brickell
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, MD, United States
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, United States
- National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Bethesda, MD, United States
- General Dynamics Information Technology, Silver Spring, MD, United States
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Jessica M. Gill
- School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Louis M. French
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, MD, United States
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, United States
- National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
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Lin J, Ou R, Li C, Hou Y, Zhang L, Wei Q, Pang D, Liu K, Jiang Q, Yang T, Xiao Y, Zhao B, Chen X, Song W, Yang J, Wu Y, Shang H. Plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein as a biomarker of disease progression in Parkinson's disease: a prospective cohort study. BMC Med 2023; 21:420. [PMID: 37932720 PMCID: PMC10626747 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-023-03120-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reactive astrogliosis has been demonstrated to have a role in Parkinson's disease (PD); however, astrocyte-specific plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)'s correlation with PD progression remains unknown. We aimed to determine whether plasma GFAP can monitor and predict PD progression. METHODS A total of 184 patients with PD and 95 healthy controls (HCs) were included in this prospective cohort study and followed-up for 5 years. Plasma GFAP, amyloid-beta (Aβ), p-tau181, and neurofilament light chain (NfL) were measured at baseline and at 1- and 2-year follow-ups. Motor and non-motor symptoms, activities of daily living, global cognitive function, executive function, and disease stage were evaluated using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) part III, UPDRS-I, UPDRS-II, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), and Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) scales at each visit, respectively. RESULTS Plasma GFAP levels were higher in patients with PD (mean [SD]: 69.80 [36.18], pg/mL) compared to HCs (mean [SD]: 57.89 [23.54], pg/mL). Higher levels of GFAP were observed in female and older PD patients. The adjusted linear mixed-effects models showed that plasma GFAP levels were significantly associated with UPDRS-I scores (β: 0.006, 95% CI [0.001-0.011], p = 0.027). Higher baseline plasma GFAP correlated with faster increase in UPDRS-I (β: 0.237, 95% CI [0.055-0.419], p = 0.011) and UPDRS-III (β: 0.676, 95% CI [0.023-1.330], p = 0.043) scores and H&Y stage (β: 0.098, 95% CI [0.047-0.149], p < 0.001) and faster decrease in MoCA (β: - 0.501, 95% CI [- 0.768 to - 0.234], p < 0.001) and FAB scores (β: - 0.358, 95% CI [- 0.587 to - 0.129], p = 0.002). Higher baseline plasma GFAP predicted a more rapid progression to postural instability (hazard ratio: 1.009, 95% CI [1.001-1.017], p = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS Plasma GFAP might be a potential biomarker for monitoring and predicting disease progression in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyu Lin
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Ruwei Ou
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Chunyu Li
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanbing Hou
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Lingyu Zhang
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Qianqian Wei
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Dejiang Pang
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Kuncheng Liu
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Qirui Jiang
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Tianmi Yang
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yi Xiao
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Bi Zhao
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Xueping Chen
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Wei Song
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Ying Wu
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Huifang Shang
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
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Yang Z, Sreenivasan K, Toledano Strom EN, Osse AML, Pasia LG, Cosme CG, Mugosa MRN, Chevalier EL, Ritter A, Miller JB, Cordes D, Cummings JL, Kinney JW. Clinical and biological relevance of glial fibrillary acidic protein in Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Res Ther 2023; 15:190. [PMID: 37924152 PMCID: PMC10623866 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-023-01340-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION There is a tremendous need for identifying reliable blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) that are tied to the biological ATN (amyloid, tau and neurodegeneration) framework as well as clinical assessment and progression. METHODS One hundred forty-four elderly participants underwent 18F-AV45 positron emission tomography (PET) scan, structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, and blood sample collection. The composite standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) was derived from 18F-AV45 PET to assess brain amyloid burden, and the hippocampal volume was determined from structural MRI scans. Plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), phosphorylated tau-181 (ptau-181), and neurofilament light (NfL) measured by single molecular array (SIMOA) technology were assessed with respect to ATN framework, genetic risk factor, age, clinical assessment, and future functional decline among the participants. RESULTS Among the three plasma markers, GFAP best discriminated participants stratified by clinical diagnosis and brain amyloid status. Age was strongly associated with NfL, followed by GFAP and ptau-181 at much weaker extent. Brain amyloid was strongly associated with plasma GFAP and ptau-181 and to a lesser extent with plasma NfL. Moderate association was observed between plasma markers. Hippocampal volume was weakly associated with all three markers. Elevated GFAP and ptau-181 were associated with worse cognition, and plasma GFAP was the most predictive of future functional decline. Combining GFAP and ptau-181 together was the best model to predict brain amyloid status across all participants (AUC = 0.86) or within cognitively impaired participants (AUC = 0.93); adding NfL as an additional predictor only had a marginal improvement. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that GFAP is of potential clinical utility in screening amyloid pathology and predicting future cognitive decline. GFAP, NfL, and ptau-181 were moderately associated with each other, with discrepant relevance to age, sex, and AD genetic risk, suggesting their relevant but differential roles for AD assessment. The combination of GFAP with ptau-181 provides an accurate model to predict brain amyloid status, with the superior performance of GFAP over ptau-181 when the prediction is limited to cognitively impaired participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengshi Yang
- Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Las Vegas, NV, USA.
- Department of Brain Health, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA.
| | - Karthik Sreenivasan
- Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Las Vegas, NV, USA
- Department of Brain Health, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | | | | | | | - Celica Glenn Cosme
- Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Maya Rae N Mugosa
- Department of Brain Health, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Emma Léa Chevalier
- Department of Brain Health, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Aaron Ritter
- Hoag's Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute, Newport Beach, CA, USA
| | - Justin B Miller
- Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Dietmar Cordes
- Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Las Vegas, NV, USA
- Department of Brain Health, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Jeffrey L Cummings
- Department of Brain Health, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
- Chambers-Grundy Center for Transformative Neuroscience, Pam Quirk Brain Health and Biomarker Laboratory, Department of Brain Health, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Jefferson W Kinney
- Department of Brain Health, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
- Chambers-Grundy Center for Transformative Neuroscience, Pam Quirk Brain Health and Biomarker Laboratory, Department of Brain Health, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
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Halicki MJ, Hind K, Chazot PL. Blood-Based Biomarkers in the Diagnosis of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: Research to Date and Future Directions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12556. [PMID: 37628736 PMCID: PMC10454393 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612556] [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: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease consistently associated with repetitive traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), which makes multiple professions, such as contact sports athletes and the military, especially susceptible to its onset. There are currently no approved biomarkers to diagnose CTE, thus it can only be confirmed through a post-mortem brain autopsy. Several imaging and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers have shown promise in the diagnosis. However, blood-based biomarkers can be more easily obtained and quantified, increasing their clinical feasibility and potential for prophylactic use. This article aimed to comprehensively review the studies into potential blood-based biomarkers of CTE, discussing common themes and limitations, as well as suggesting future research directions. While the interest in blood-based biomarkers of CTE has recently increased, the research is still in its early stages. The main issue for many proposed biomarkers is their lack of selectivity for CTE. However, several molecules, such as different phosphorylated tau isoforms, were able to discern CTE from different neurodegenerative diseases. Further, the results from studies on exosomal biomarkers suggest that exosomes are a promising source of biomarkers, reflective of the internal environment of the brain. Nonetheless, more longitudinal studies combining imaging, neurobehavioral, and biochemical approaches are warranted to establish robust biomarkers for CTE.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Karen Hind
- Durham Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing, Stockton-on-Tees TS17 6BH, UK;
| | - Paul L. Chazot
- Department of Biosciences, Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
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Papa L, Brophy GM, Alvarez W, Hirschl R, Cress M, Weber K, Giordano P. Sex differences in time course and diagnostic accuracy of GFAP and UCH-L1 in trauma patients with mild traumatic brain injury. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11833. [PMID: 37481589 PMCID: PMC10363108 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38804-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) and Ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase (UCH-L1) have been FDA-approved for clinical use in mild and moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI). Understanding sex differences in their diagnostic accuracy over time will help inform clinical practice. We sought to evaluate the sex differences in the temporal profile of GFAP and UCH-L1 in a large cohort of trauma patients presenting to the emergency department. To compare the biomarkers' diagnostic accuracy in male versus female patients for detecting mild TBI (MTBI), and traumatic intracranial lesions on head CT. This prospective cohort study enrolled female and male adult trauma patients presenting to a Level 1 Trauma Center. All patients underwent rigorous screening to determine whether or not they had experienced a MTBI. Of 3025 trauma patients assessed, 1030 met eligibility criteria and 446 declined. Initial blood samples were obtained in 584 patients enrolled within 4 h of injury. Repeated blood sampling was conducted at 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, and 180-h post-injury. The main outcomes included the diagnostic accuracy in detection of MTBI and traumatic intracranial lesions on head CT scan. A total of 1831 samples were drawn in 584 patients over 7 days, 362 (62%) were male and 222 (38%) were female. The pattern of elevation was similar in both sexes. Although the pattern of elevation was similar between male and female for both biomarkers, male patients had significantly higher concentrations of UCH-L1 compared to female patients at several timepoints post-injury, particularly within 24 h of injury. There were no significant differences in diagnostic accuracy for detecting MTBI or for detecting CT lesions between male and female patients at any timepoint for both GFAP and UCH-L1. Although patterns of GFAP and UCH-L1 release in trauma patients over a week post-injury was similar between the sexes, there were significantly higher concentrations of UCH-L1 in males at several timepoints post-injury. Despite this, the overall diagnostic accuracies of both GFAP and UCH-L1 over time for detecting MTBI and CT lesions were not significantly different between male and female trauma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Papa
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center, 1335 Sligh Boul. 5th Floor, Orlando, FL, 32806, USA.
| | - Gretchen M Brophy
- Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science and Neurosurgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Wilmer Alvarez
- Orlando Health Foundation, Orlando Health Orlando Health Regional Medical Center, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Robert Hirschl
- Department of Neurosurgery, Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Marshall Cress
- Department of Neurosurgery, Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Kurt Weber
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center, 1335 Sligh Boul. 5th Floor, Orlando, FL, 32806, USA
| | - Philip Giordano
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center, 1335 Sligh Boul. 5th Floor, Orlando, FL, 32806, USA
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Stocker H, Beyer L, Trares K, Perna L, Rujescu D, Holleczek B, Beyreuther K, Gerwert K, Schöttker B, Brenner H. Association of Kidney Function With Development of Alzheimer Disease and Other Dementias and Dementia-Related Blood Biomarkers. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2252387. [PMID: 36692879 PMCID: PMC10408272 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.52387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Previous research has suggested an association of kidney function with risk of Alzheimer disease (AD) or other dementias and dementia-related blood biomarkers, but a distinct association remains unclear. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association of kidney function with risk of diagnosis of incident AD or dementia within 17 years and with the blood biomarkers neurofilament light (NfL), phosphorylated tau181 (p-tau181), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In this prospective, population-based cohort study and nested case-control study, 9940 participants in Germany were enrolled between 2000 and 2002 by their general practitioners and followed up for up to 17 years. Participants were included if information on dementia status and creatinine/cystatin C measurements were available. A subsample of participants additionally had measurements of NfL, p-tau181, and GFAP obtained from blood samples. Statistical analysis was performed from January 3 to November 25, 2022. EXPOSURES Impaired kidney function, based on estimated glomerular filtration rate less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 according to the 2021 Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration creatinine-cystatin C equation. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES All-cause dementia, AD, and vascular dementia diagnosis, as well as log-transformed levels of NfL, p-tau181, and GFAP in blood. RESULTS Of 6256 participants (3402 women [54.4%]; mean [SD] age at baseline, 61.7 [6.6] years), 510 received an all-cause dementia diagnosis within 17 years of baseline. The dementia-related blood biomarker nested case-control sample included 766 participants. After adjusting for age and sex, impaired kidney function at baseline was not associated with a higher risk of all-cause dementia (hazard ratio [HR], 0.95; 95% CI, 0.69-1.29), AD (HR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.55-1.63), or vascular dementia diagnosis (HR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.65-1.70) within 17 years. In the cross-sectional analysis, after adjusting for age and sex, impaired kidney function was significantly associated with NfL and p-tau181 levels in blood (NfL: β = 0.47 and P < .001; p-tau181: β = 0.21 and P = .003). After adjusting for age and sex, significant associations with GFAP levels were evident only among men (men: β = 0.31 and P = .006; women: β = -0.12 and P = .11). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this population-based study of community-dwelling adults, reduced kidney function was associated with increased levels of dementia-related blood biomarkers but not increased dementia risk. Kidney function might influence the accuracy of dementia-related blood biomarkers and should be considered in clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Stocker
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
- Population Health Sciences, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn, Germany
| | - Léon Beyer
- Center for Protein Diagnostics (ProDi), Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biophysics, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Kira Trares
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Laura Perna
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Dan Rujescu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Klaus Gerwert
- Center for Protein Diagnostics (ProDi), Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biophysics, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Ben Schöttker
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hermann Brenner
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
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Schindler P, Aktas O, Ringelstein M, Wildemann B, Jarius S, Paul F, Ruprecht K. Glial fibrillary acidic protein as a biomarker in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: a current review. Expert Rev Clin Immunol 2023; 19:71-91. [PMID: 36378751 DOI: 10.1080/1744666x.2023.2148657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a relapsing, often debilitating neuroinflammatory disease, whose predominant clinical manifestations are longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis and optic neuritis. About 80% of the patients with an NMOSD phenotype have pathogenic autoantibodies against the astrocyte water channel aquaporin-4 (AQP4-IgG). While therapeutic options for NMOSD have greatly expanded in recent years, well-established biomarkers for prognosis or treatment response are still lacking. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is mainly expressed in astrocytes and can be detected in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood of patients with NMOSD. AREAS COVERED Here, we comprehensively review the current knowledge on GFAP as a biomarker in NMOSD. EXPERT OPINION In patients with AQP4-IgG+ NMOSD, GFAP levels are elevated in CSF and serum during acute attacks and correlate with disability, consistent with the pathophysiology of this antibody-mediated astrocytopathy. Serum GFAP levels tend to be higher in AQP4-IgG+ NMOSD than in its differential diagnoses, multiple sclerosis, and myelin oligodendrocyte antibody-associated disease. Importantly, serum GFAP levels in AQP4-IgG+ NMOSD during remission may be predictive of future disease activity. Serial serum GFAP measurements are emerging as a biomarker to monitor disease activity in AQP4-IgG+ NMOSD and could have the potential for application in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Schindler
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, A Cooperation between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and the Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Orhan Aktas
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Marius Ringelstein
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Center for Neurology and Neuropsychiatry, LVR-Klinikum, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Brigitte Wildemann
- Molecular Neuroimmunology Group, Department of Neurology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sven Jarius
- Molecular Neuroimmunology Group, Department of Neurology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Friedemann Paul
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, A Cooperation between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and the Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Klemens Ruprecht
- Department of Neurology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Cytokine Profiles Differentiate Symptomatic from Asymptomatic PTSD in Service Members and Veterans with Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10123289. [PMID: 36552045 PMCID: PMC9775258 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10123289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are commonly observed comorbid occurrences among military service members and veterans (SMVs). In this cross-sectional study, SMVs with a history of TBI were stratified into symptomatic and asymptomatic PTSD groups based on posttraumatic stress checklist-civilian (PCL-C) total scores. Blood-based biomarkers were assessed, and significant differential markers were associated with scores from multiple neurobehavioral self-report assessments. PCL-C cutoffs were total scores >50 (PTSD symptomatic) and <25 (asymptomatic). Cytokines IL6, IL8, TNFα, and IL10 were significantly elevated (p < 0.05−0.001) in the TBI+/PTSD symptomatic group compared to the TBI+/asymptomatic group. Cytokine levels of IL8, TNFα, and IL10 were strongly associated with PCL-C scores (0.356 < r > 0.624 for all, p < 0.01 for all), while TNFα and IL10 were additionally associated with NSI totals (r = 0.285 and r = 0.270, p < 0.05, respectively). This is the first study focused on PTSD symptom severity to report levels of circulating pro-inflammatory IL8, specifically in SMVs with TBI. These data suggest that within the military TBI population, there are unique cytokine profiles that relate to neurobehavioral outcomes associated with TBI and PTSD.
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