51
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Chong JR, Ashton NJ, Karikari TK, Tanaka T, Schöll M, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Chen CP, Lai MKP. Blood-based high sensitivity measurements of beta-amyloid and phosphorylated tau as biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease: a focused review on recent advances. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2021; 92:1231-1241. [PMID: 34510001 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2021-327370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Discovery and development of clinically useful biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias have been the focus of recent research efforts. While cerebrospinal fluid and positron emission tomography or MRI-based neuroimaging markers have made the in vivo detection of AD pathology and its consequences possible, the high cost and invasiveness have limited their widespread use in the clinical setting. On the other hand, advances in potentially more accessible blood-based biomarkers had been impeded by lack of sensitivity in detecting changes in markers of the hallmarks of AD, including amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides and phosphorylated tau (P-tau). More recently, however, emerging technologies with superior sensitivity and specificity for measuring Aβ and P-tau have reported high concordances with AD severity. In this focused review, we describe several emerging technologies, including immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry (IP-MS), single molecule array and Meso Scale Discovery immunoassay platforms, and appraise the current literature arising from their use to identify plaques, tangles and other AD-associated pathology. While there is potential clinical utility in adopting these technologies, we also highlight the further studies needed to establish Aβ and P-tau as blood-based biomarkers for AD, including validation with existing large sample sets, new independent cohorts from diverse backgrounds as well as population-based longitudinal studies. In conclusion, the availability of sensitive and reliable measurements of Aβ peptides and P-tau species in blood holds promise for the diagnosis, prognosis and outcome assessments in clinical trials for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce R Chong
- Memory, Aging and Cognition Centre, National University Health Systems, Singapore.,Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nicholas J Ashton
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Maurice Wohl Institute Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK.,NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health and Biomedical Research Unit for Dementia, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation, London, UK.,Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Thomas K Karikari
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Tomotaka Tanaka
- Memory, Aging and Cognition Centre, National University Health Systems, Singapore.,Department of Neurology, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka, Japan.,Clinical Imaging Research Centre, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Michael Schöll
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, 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 Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- 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 Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.,Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.,UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.,UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, University College London, London, UK
| | - Christopher P Chen
- Memory, Aging and Cognition Centre, National University Health Systems, Singapore.,Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mitchell K P Lai
- Memory, Aging and Cognition Centre, National University Health Systems, Singapore .,Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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52
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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: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [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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53
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Montoliu-Gaya L, Strydom A, Blennow K, Zetterberg H, Ashton NJ. Blood Biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease in Down Syndrome. J Clin Med 2021; 10:3639. [PMID: 34441934 PMCID: PMC8397053 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10163639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological evidence suggests that by the age of 40 years, all individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathology. Clinical diagnosis of dementia by cognitive assessment is complex in these patients due to the pre-existing and varying intellectual disability, which may mask subtle declines in cognitive functioning. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and positron emission tomography (PET) biomarkers, although accurate, are expensive, invasive, and particularly challenging in such a vulnerable population. The advances in ultra-sensitive detection methods have highlighted blood biomarkers as a valuable and realistic tool for AD diagnosis. Studies with DS patients have proven the potential blood-based biomarkers for sporadic AD (amyloid-β, tau, phosphorylated tau, and neurofilament light chain) to be useful in this population. In addition, biomarkers related to other pathologies that could aggravate dementia progression-such as inflammatory dysregulation, energetic imbalance, or oxidative stress-have been explored. This review serves to provide a brief overview of the main findings from the limited neuroimaging and CSF studies, outline the current state of blood biomarkers to diagnose AD in patients with DS, discuss possible past limitations of the research, and suggest considerations for developing and validating blood-based biomarkers in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laia Montoliu-Gaya
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, 431 41 Mölndal, Sweden; (K.B.); (H.Z.); (N.J.A.)
| | - Andre Strydom
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK;
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London SE5 8AZ, UK
- London Down Syndrome Consortium (LonDowns), London, UK
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, 431 41 Mölndal, Sweden; (K.B.); (H.Z.); (N.J.A.)
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 413 45 Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, 431 41 Mölndal, Sweden; (K.B.); (H.Z.); (N.J.A.)
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 413 45 Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hong Kong, China
| | - Nicholas James Ashton
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, 431 41 Mölndal, Sweden; (K.B.); (H.Z.); (N.J.A.)
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King’s College London, London SE5 9RT, UK
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, Biomedical Research Unit for Dementia at South London, Maudsley NHS Foundation, London SE5 8AF, UK
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54
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The purpose of this review was to discuss the contribution of the most recent neuroimaging studies to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying Alzheimer's disease. RECENT FINDINGS Studies have applied cross-sectional and longitudinal positron emission tomography (PET), structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to primarily investigate (1) how Alzheimer's disease pathological hallmarks like tau and amyloid-beta build up and spread across the brain at different disease stage and in different disease phenotypes and (2) how the spreading of these proteins is related to atrophy, to neuronal network disruption and to neuroinflammation. SUMMARY The findings of these studies offer insight on the mechanisms that drive the pathological and clinical progression of Alzheimer's disease, highlighting their multifactorial nature, which is a crucial aspect for the development of disease-modifying therapeutics and can be captured with multimodal imaging approaches.
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55
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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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56
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Therriault J, Benedet AL, Pascoal TA, Lussier FZ, Tissot C, Karikari TK, Ashton NJ, Chamoun M, Bezgin G, Mathotaarachchi S, Gauthier S, Saha-Chaudhuri P, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Rosa-Neto P. Association of plasma P-tau181 with memory decline in non-demented adults. Brain Commun 2021; 3:fcab136. [PMID: 34222875 PMCID: PMC8249102 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcab136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia worldwide and is characterized by a long preclinical phase in which amyloid-β and tau accumulate in the absence of cognitive decline. In vivo biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease are expensive, invasive and inaccessible, yet are critical for accurate disease diagnosis and patient management. Recent ultrasensitive methods to measure plasma phosphorylated tau 181 (p-tau181) display strong correlations with tau positron emission tomography, p-tau181 in CSF, and tau pathology at autopsy. The clinical utility of plasma-based p-tau181 biomarkers is unclear. In a longitudinal multicentre observational study, we assessed 1113 non-demented individuals (509 cognitively unimpaired elderly and 604 individuals with mild cognitive impairment) from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative who underwent neuropsychological assessments and were evaluated for plasma p-tau181. The primary outcome was a memory composite z-score. Mixed-effect models assessed rates of memory decline in relation to baseline plasma p-tau181, and whether plasma p-tau181 significantly predicted memory decline beyond widely available clinical and genetic data (age, sex, years of education, cardiovascular and metabolic conditions, and APOEε4 status). Participants were followed for a median of 4.1 years. Baseline plasma p-tau181 was associated with lower baseline memory (β estimate: -0.49, standard error: 0.06, t-value: -7.97), as well as faster rates of memory decline (β estimate: -0.11, standard error: 0.01, t-value: -7.37). Moreover, the inclusion of plasma p-tau181 resulted in improved prediction of memory decline beyond clinical and genetic data (marginal R 2 of 16.7-23%, χ2 = 100.81, P < 0.00001). Elevated baseline plasma p-tau181 was associated with higher rates of clinical progression to mild cognitive impairment (hazard ratio = 1.82, 95% confidence interval: 1.2-2.8) and from mild cognitive impairment to dementia (hazard ratio = 2.06, 95% confidence interval: 1.55-2.74). Our results suggest that in elderly individuals without dementia at baseline, plasma p-tau181 biomarkers were associated with greater memory decline and rates of clinical progression to dementia. Plasma p-tau181 improved prediction of memory decline above a model with currently available clinical and genetic data. While the clinical importance of this improvement in the prediction of memory decline is unknown, these results highlight the potential of plasma p-tau181 as a cost-effective and scalable Alzheimer's disease biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Therriault
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Andrea L Benedet
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Tharick A Pascoal
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Firoza Z Lussier
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Cecile Tissot
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Thomas K Karikari
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Nicholas J Ashton
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
- King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, UK
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK
| | - Mira Chamoun
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Gleb Bezgin
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Sulantha Mathotaarachchi
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Serge Gauthier
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Paramita Saha-Chaudhuri
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Vermont, Burlington, USA
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Pedro Rosa-Neto
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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57
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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: 216] [Impact Index Per Article: 72.0] [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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58
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Ashton NJ, Pascoal TA, Karikari TK, Benedet AL, Lantero-Rodriguez J, Brinkmalm G, Snellman A, Schöll M, Troakes C, Hye A, Gauthier S, Vanmechelen E, Zetterberg H, Rosa-Neto P, Blennow K. Plasma p-tau231: a new biomarker for incipient Alzheimer's disease pathology. Acta Neuropathol 2021; 141:709-724. [PMID: 33585983 PMCID: PMC8043944 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-021-02275-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 278] [Impact Index Per Article: 92.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The quantification of phosphorylated tau in biofluids, either cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or plasma, has shown great promise in detecting Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathophysiology. Tau phosphorylated at threonine 231 (p-tau231) is one such biomarker in CSF but its usefulness as a blood biomarker is currently unknown. Here, we developed an ultrasensitive Single molecule array (Simoa) for the quantification of plasma p-tau231 which was validated in four independent cohorts (n = 588) in different settings, including the full AD continuum and non-AD neurodegenerative disorders. Plasma p-tau231 was able to identify patients with AD and differentiate them from amyloid-β negative cognitively unimpaired (CU) older adults with high accuracy (AUC = 0.92-0.94). Plasma p-tau231 also distinguished AD patients from patients with non-AD neurodegenerative disorders (AUC = 0.93), as well as from amyloid-β negative MCI patients (AUC = 0.89). In a neuropathology cohort, plasma p-tau231 in samples taken on avergae 4.2 years prior to post-mortem very accurately identified AD neuropathology in comparison to non-AD neurodegenerative disorders (AUC = 0.99), this is despite all patients being given an AD dementia diagnosis during life. Plasma p-tau231 was highly correlated with CSF p-tau231, tau pathology as assessed by [18F]MK-6240 positron emission tomography (PET), and brain amyloidosis by [18F]AZD469 PET. Remarkably, the inflection point of plasma p-tau231, increasing as a function of continuous [18F]AZD469 amyloid-β PET standardized uptake value ratio, was shown to be earlier than standard thresholds of amyloid-β PET positivity and the increase of plasma p-tau181. Furthermore, plasma p-tau231 was significantly increased in amyloid-β PET quartiles 2-4, whereas CSF p-tau217 and plasma p-tau181 increased only at quartiles 3-4 and 4, respectively. Finally, plasma p-tau231 differentiated individuals across the entire Braak stage spectrum, including Braak staging from Braak 0 through Braak I-II, which was not observed for plasma p-tau181. To conclude, this novel plasma p-tau231 assay identifies the clinical stages of AD and neuropathology equally well as plasma p-tau181, but increases earlier, already with subtle amyloid-β deposition, prior to the threshold for amyloid-β PET positivity has been attained, and also in response to early brain tau deposition. Thus, plasma p-tau231 is a promising novel biomarker of emerging AD pathology with the potential to facilitate clinical trials to identify vulnerable populations below PET threshold of amyloid-β positivity or apparent entorhinal tau deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Ashton
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Institute Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK.
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health and Biomedical Research Unit for Dementia at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation, London, UK.
| | - Tharick A Pascoal
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill Centre for Studies in Aging, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Thomas K Karikari
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Andréa L Benedet
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill Centre for Studies in Aging, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Juan Lantero-Rodriguez
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Brinkmalm
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Anniina Snellman
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Michael Schöll
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK
| | - Claire Troakes
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Abdul Hye
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Institute Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health and Biomedical Research Unit for Dementia at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation, London, UK
| | - Serge Gauthier
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, The McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Montreal, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - 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
| | - Pedro Rosa-Neto
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden.
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59
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Solje E, Benussi A, Buratti E, Remes AM, Haapasalo A, Borroni B. State-of-the-Art Methods and Emerging Fluid Biomarkers in the Diagnostics of Dementia-A Short Review and Diagnostic Algorithm. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:diagnostics11050788. [PMID: 33925655 PMCID: PMC8145467 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11050788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The most common neurodegenerative dementias include Alzheimer’s disease (AD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The correct etiology-based diagnosis is pivotal for clinical management of these diseases as well as for the suitable timing and choosing the accurate disease-modifying therapies when these become available. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based methods, detecting altered levels of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Tau, phosphorylated Tau, and Aβ-42 in AD, allowed the wide use of this set of biomarkers in clinical practice. These analyses demonstrate a high diagnostic accuracy in AD but suffer from a relatively restricted usefulness due to invasiveness and lack of prognostic value. In recent years, the development of novel advanced techniques has offered new state-of-the-art opportunities in biomarker discovery. These include single molecule array technology (SIMOA), a tool for non-invasive analysis of ultra-low levels of central nervous system-derived molecules from biofluids, such as CSF or blood, and real-time quaking (RT-QuIC), developed to analyze misfolded proteins. In the present review, we describe the history of methods used in the fluid biomarker analyses of dementia, discuss specific emerging biomarkers with translational potential for clinical use, and suggest an algorithm for the use of new non-invasive blood biomarkers in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eino Solje
- Institute of Clinical Medicine-Neurology, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland;
- Neuro Center, Neurology, Kuopio University Hospital, 70029 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Alberto Benussi
- Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Emanuele Buratti
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, 34149 Trieste, Italy;
| | - Anne M. Remes
- Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, Neurology, University of Oulu, 90230 Oulu, Finland;
- Medical Research Center (MRC), Oulu University Hospital, 90220 Oulu, Finland
| | - Annakaisa Haapasalo
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland;
| | - Barbara Borroni
- Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy;
- Correspondence:
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Sampedro F, Pérez-Pérez J, Martínez-Horta S, Pérez-González R, Horta-Barba A, Campolongo A, Izquierdo C, Pagonabarraga J, Gómez-Ansón B, Kulisevsky J. Cortical microstructural correlates of plasma neurofilament light chain in Huntington's disease. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2021; 85:91-94. [PMID: 33770670 DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2021.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Huntington's disease (HD) is a severe neurodegenerative disorder with no effective treatment. Minimally-invasive biomarkers such as blood neurofilament light chain (NfL) in HD are therefore needed to quantitatively characterize neuronal loss. NfL levels in HD are known to correlate with disease progression and striatal atrophy, but whether they also reflect cortical degeneration remains elusive. METHODS In a sample of 35 HD patients, we characterized the cortical macro (cortical thickness) and microstructural (increased intracortical diffusivity) correlates of plasma NfL levels. We further investigated whether NfL-related cortical alterations correlated with clinical indicators of disease progression. RESULTS Increased plasma NfL levels in HD reflected posterior-cortical microstructural degeneration, but not reduced cortical thickness (p < 0.05, corrected). Importantly, these imaging alterations correlated, in turn, with more severe motor, cognitive and behavioral symptoms. CONCLUSION Plasma NfL levels may be useful for tracking clinically-meaningful cortical deterioration in HD. Additionally, our results further reinforce the role of intracortical diffusivity as a valuable imaging indicator in movement disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederic Sampedro
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de La Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; Biomedical Research Institute (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Red-Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Spain
| | - Jesus Pérez-Pérez
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de La Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; Biomedical Research Institute (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Red-Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Spain
| | - Saul Martínez-Horta
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de La Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; Biomedical Research Institute (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Red-Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Spain
| | - Rocío Pérez-González
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de La Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; Biomedical Research Institute (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Red-Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Spain
| | - Andrea Horta-Barba
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de La Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; Biomedical Research Institute (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Red-Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Spain
| | - Antonia Campolongo
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de La Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; Biomedical Research Institute (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Red-Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Spain
| | - Cristina Izquierdo
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de La Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; Biomedical Research Institute (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Red-Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Spain
| | - Javier Pagonabarraga
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de La Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; Biomedical Research Institute (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Red-Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Spain
| | - Beatriz Gómez-Ansón
- Neuroradiology Department, Hospital de La Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jaime Kulisevsky
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de La Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; Biomedical Research Institute (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Red-Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Spain.
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Brier MR, Day GS. Serum neurofilament light chain uncovers neurodegeneration early in the course of Alzheimer's disease. Brain 2021; 143:3521-3522. [PMID: 33253358 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaa370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This scientific commentary refers to ‘Stage-specific links between plasma neurofilament light and imaging biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease’, by Benedet et al. (doi:10.1093/brain/awaa342).
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Brier
- 1 Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis MO, USA
| | - Gregory S Day
- 2 Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
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