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Dark HE, An Y, Duggan MR, Joynes C, Davatzikos C, Erus G, Lewis A, Moghekar AR, Resnick SM, Walker KA. Alzheimer's and neurodegenerative disease biomarkers in blood predict brain atrophy and cognitive decline. Alzheimers Res Ther 2024; 16:94. [PMID: 38689358 PMCID: PMC11059745 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-024-01459-y] [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: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although blood-based biomarkers have been identified as cost-effective and scalable alternatives to PET and CSF markers of neurodegenerative disease, little is known about how these biomarkers predict future brain atrophy and cognitive decline in cognitively unimpaired individuals. Using data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA), we examined whether plasma biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology (amyloid-β [Aβ42/40], phosphorylated tau [pTau-181]), astrogliosis (glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP]), and neuronal injury (neurofilament light chain [NfL]) were associated with longitudinal brain volume loss and cognitive decline. Additionally, we determined whether sex, APOEε4 status, and plasma amyloid-β status modified these associations. METHODS Plasma biomarkers were measured using Quanterix SIMOA assays. Regional brain volumes were measured by 3T MRI, and a battery of neuropsychological tests assessed five cognitive domains. Linear mixed effects models adjusted for demographic factors, kidney function, and intracranial volume (MRI analyses) were completed to relate baseline plasma biomarkers to baseline and longitudinal brain volume and cognitive performance. RESULTS Brain volume analyses included 622 participants (mean age ± SD: 70.9 ± 10.2) with an average of 3.3 MRI scans over 4.7 years. Cognitive performance analyses included 674 participants (mean age ± SD: 71.2 ± 10.0) with an average of 3.9 cognitive assessments over 5.7 years. Higher baseline pTau-181 was associated with steeper declines in total gray matter volume and steeper regional declines in several medial temporal regions, whereas higher baseline GFAP was associated with greater longitudinal increases in ventricular volume. Baseline Aβ42/40 and NfL levels were not associated with changes in brain volume. Lower baseline Aβ42/40 (higher Aβ burden) was associated with a faster decline in verbal memory and visuospatial performance, whereas higher baseline GFAP was associated with a faster decline in verbal fluency. Results were generally consistent across sex and APOEε4 status. However, the associations of higher pTau-181 with increasing ventricular volume and memory declines were significantly stronger among individuals with higher Aβ burden, as was the association of higher GFAP with memory decline. CONCLUSIONS Among cognitively unimpaired older adults, plasma biomarkers of AD pathology (pTau-181) and astrogliosis (GFAP), but not neuronal injury (NfL), serve as markers of future brain atrophy and cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather E Dark
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute On Aging, NIH BRC BG RM 04B311, 251 Bayview Blvd, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA.
| | - Yang An
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute On Aging, NIH BRC BG RM 04B311, 251 Bayview Blvd, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Michael R Duggan
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute On Aging, NIH BRC BG RM 04B311, 251 Bayview Blvd, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Cassandra Joynes
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute On Aging, NIH BRC BG RM 04B311, 251 Bayview Blvd, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | | | - Guray Erus
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Alexandria Lewis
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Abhay R Moghekar
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Susan M Resnick
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute On Aging, NIH BRC BG RM 04B311, 251 Bayview Blvd, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Keenan A Walker
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute On Aging, NIH BRC BG RM 04B311, 251 Bayview Blvd, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA.
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Agnello L, Gambino CM, Ciaccio AM, Masucci A, Vassallo R, Tamburello M, Scazzone C, Lo Sasso B, Ciaccio M. Molecular Biomarkers of Neurodegenerative Disorders: A Practical Guide to Their Appropriate Use and Interpretation in Clinical Practice. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4323. [PMID: 38673907 PMCID: PMC11049959 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084323] [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: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) represent a group of different diseases characterized by the progressive degeneration and death of the nervous system's cells. The diagnosis is challenging, especially in the early stages, due to no specific clinical signs and symptoms. In this context, laboratory medicine could support clinicians in detecting and differentiating NDs. Indeed, biomarkers could indicate the pathological mechanisms underpinning NDs. The ideal biofluid for detecting the biomarkers of NDs is cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which has limitations, hampering its widespread use in clinical practice. However, intensive efforts are underway to introduce high-sensitivity analytical methods to detect ND biomarkers in alternative nonivasive biofluid, such as blood or saliva. This study presents an overview of the ND molecular biomarkers currently used in clinical practice. For some diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease or multiple sclerosis, biomarkers are well established and recommended by guidelines. However, for most NDs, intensive research is ongoing to identify reliable and specific biomarkers, and no consensus has yet been achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Agnello
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine, and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (L.A.); (C.M.G.); (A.M.); (R.V.); (M.T.); (C.S.); (B.L.S.)
| | - Caterina Maria Gambino
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine, and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (L.A.); (C.M.G.); (A.M.); (R.V.); (M.T.); (C.S.); (B.L.S.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital “P. Giaccone”, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Ciaccio
- Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties “G. D’Alessandro”, Department of Health Promotion, Maternal and Infant Care, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Anna Masucci
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine, and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (L.A.); (C.M.G.); (A.M.); (R.V.); (M.T.); (C.S.); (B.L.S.)
| | - Roberta Vassallo
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine, and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (L.A.); (C.M.G.); (A.M.); (R.V.); (M.T.); (C.S.); (B.L.S.)
| | - Martina Tamburello
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine, and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (L.A.); (C.M.G.); (A.M.); (R.V.); (M.T.); (C.S.); (B.L.S.)
| | - Concetta Scazzone
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine, and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (L.A.); (C.M.G.); (A.M.); (R.V.); (M.T.); (C.S.); (B.L.S.)
| | - Bruna Lo Sasso
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine, and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (L.A.); (C.M.G.); (A.M.); (R.V.); (M.T.); (C.S.); (B.L.S.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital “P. Giaccone”, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Marcello Ciaccio
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine, and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (L.A.); (C.M.G.); (A.M.); (R.V.); (M.T.); (C.S.); (B.L.S.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital “P. Giaccone”, 90127 Palermo, Italy
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Sanchez E, Wilkinson T, Coughlan G, Mirza S, Baril A, Ramirez J, Binns MA, Black SE, Borrie M, Dilliott AA, Dixon RA, Dowlatshahi D, Farhan S, Finger E, Fischer CE, Frank A, Freedman M, Goncalves RA, Grimes DA, Hassan A, Hegele RA, Kumar S, Lang AE, Marras C, McLaughlin PM, Orange JB, Pasternak SH, Pollock BG, Rajji TK, Roberts AC, Robinson JF, Rogaeva E, Sahlas DJ, Saposnik G, Strong MJ, Swartz RH, Tang‐Wai DF, Tartaglia MC, Troyer AK, Kvartsberg H, Zetterberg H, Munoz DP, Masellis M. Association of plasma biomarkers with cognition, cognitive decline, and daily function across and within neurodegenerative diseases: Results from the Ontario Neurodegenerative Disease Research Initiative. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:1753-1770. [PMID: 38105605 PMCID: PMC10984487 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We investigated whether novel plasma biomarkers are associated with cognition, cognitive decline, and functional independence in activities of daily living across and within neurodegenerative diseases. METHODS Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neurofilament light chain (NfL), phosphorylated tau (p-tau)181 and amyloid beta (Aβ)42/40 were measured using ultra-sensitive Simoa immunoassays in 44 healthy controls and 480 participants diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease/mild cognitive impairment (AD/MCI), Parkinson's disease (PD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD) spectrum disorders, or cerebrovascular disease (CVD). RESULTS GFAP, NfL, and/or p-tau181 were elevated among all diseases compared to controls, and were broadly associated with worse baseline cognitive performance, greater cognitive decline, and/or lower functional independence. While GFAP, NfL, and p-tau181 were highly predictive across diseases, p-tau181 was more specific to the AD/MCI cohort. Sparse associations were found in the FTD and CVD cohorts and for Aβ42/40 . DISCUSSION GFAP, NfL, and p-tau181 are valuable predictors of cognition and function across common neurodegenerative diseases, and may be useful in specialized clinics and clinical trials.
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Cournut A, Moustiez P, Coffinier Y, Enjalbal C, Bich C. Innovative SALDI mass spectrometry analysis for Alzheimer's disease synthetic peptides detection. Talanta 2024; 268:125357. [PMID: 37951181 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2023.125357] [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: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is nowadays the prominent cause of senile dementia. This pathology is characterized by aggregation of neurofibrillary tangles in cells and by the accumulation of amyloid plaques in the brain. Noteworthy, a phosphorylated protein (tau protein) and a peptide presenting two overlapping sequences of 40 or 42 residues named β-amyloid peptides 1-40 (Aβ 1-40) and 1-42 (Aβ 1-42), respectively, were related to such deleterious phenomena. Singularly, the neurotoxicity was primarily attributed to the amyloid peptide Aβ 1-42 form due to its capacity to fold into beta-sheets rendering it insoluble thus causing subsequent aggregation and accumulation in vivo. Regarding AD diagnosis relying on mass spectrometry, Aβ 1-42 and/or Aβ 1-40 were considered as relevant biomarkers being measured in cerebrospinal fluids (CSF), blood and urine. Under that context, we aimed at implementing an innovative method to evidence the depletion of circulating Aβ 1-42 amyloid peptide compared to the shorter Aβ 1-40 form indicating a pathologic state. We investigated Surface-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry (SALDI-MS) in order to monitor the Aβ 1-42/Aβ 1-40 ratio without any prior sample treatment or enrichment. Taking into account that β-amyloid peptide and 1-42 can aggregate into beta-sheets depending on the experimental conditions, specific attention was devoted to sample integrity monitoring performed by circular dichroism experiments during SALDI-MS method development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Cournut
- Univ Montpellier, IBMM, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France
| | - Paul Moustiez
- Univ Lille, IEMN, UMR CNRS 8520, Villeneuve d'Ascq, France
| | | | | | - Claudia Bich
- Univ Montpellier, IBMM, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France.
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Wojdała AL, Bellomo G, Toja A, Gaetani L, Parnetti L, Chiasserini D. CSF and plasma Aβ42/40 across Alzheimer's disease continuum: comparison of two ultrasensitive Simoa ® assays targeting distinct amyloid regions. Clin Chem Lab Med 2024; 62:332-340. [PMID: 37656487 DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2023-0659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Decreased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) amyloid beta 42/40 ratio (Aβ42/40) is one of the core Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers. Measurement of Aβ42/40 in plasma has also been proposed as a surrogate marker for amyloidosis, however the validity and the diagnostic performance of this biomarker is still uncertain. Here we evaluated two immunoassays targeting distinct regions of the amyloid peptides by (a) performing a method comparison in both CSF and plasma, and (b) assessing the diagnostic performance across the AD continuum. METHODS We used N4PE and N3PA Simoa® assays to measure Aβ42/40 in CSF and plasma of 134 patients: preclinical AD (pre-AD, n=19), mild cognitive impairment due to AD (MCI-AD, n=41), AD at the dementia stage (AD-dem, n=35), and a control group (CTRL, n=39). The N4PE includes a detector antibody targeting the amyloid N-terminus, while the N3PA uses a detector targeting amyloid mid-region. RESULTS Method comparison of N4PE and N3PA assays revealed discrepancies in assessment of plasma Aβ42/Aβ40. While the diagnostic performance of the two assays did not significantly differ in CSF, in plasma, N4PE assay provided better accuracy for AD discrimination than N3PA assay (AUC AD-dem vs. CTRL 0.77 N4PE, 0.68 N3PA). CONCLUSIONS While both Aβ42/40 assays allowed for an effective discrimination between CTRL and different AD stages, the assay targeting amyloid N-terminal region provided the best diagnostic performance in plasma. Differences observed in technical and diagnostic performance of the two assays may depend on matrix-specific amyloid processing, suggesting that further studies should be carried to standardize amyloid ratio measurement in plasma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Lidia Wojdała
- Laboratory of Clinical Neurochemistry, Section of Neurology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Giovanni Bellomo
- Laboratory of Clinical Neurochemistry, Section of Neurology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Andrea Toja
- Laboratory of Clinical Neurochemistry, Section of Neurology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Gaetani
- Laboratory of Clinical Neurochemistry, Section of Neurology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Lucilla Parnetti
- Laboratory of Clinical Neurochemistry, Section of Neurology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Davide Chiasserini
- Section of Physiology and Biochemistry, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
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Colmant L, Boyer E, Gerard T, Sleegers K, Lhommel R, Ivanoiu A, Lefèvre P, Kienlen-Campard P, Hanseeuw B. Definition of a Threshold for the Plasma Aβ42/Aβ40 Ratio Measured by Single-Molecule Array to Predict the Amyloid Status of Individuals without Dementia. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1173. [PMID: 38256246 PMCID: PMC10816992 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25021173] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques and hyperphosphorylated tau in the brain. Aβ plaques precede cognitive impairments and can be detected through amyloid-positron emission tomography (PET) or in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Assessing the plasma Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio seems promising for non-invasive and cost-effective detection of brain Aβ accumulation. This approach involves some challenges, including the accuracy of blood-based biomarker measurements and the establishment of clear, standardized thresholds to categorize the risk of developing brain amyloid pathology. Plasma Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio was measured in 277 volunteers without dementia, 70 AD patients and 18 non-AD patients using single-molecule array. Patients (n = 88) and some volunteers (n = 66) were subject to evaluation of amyloid status by CSF Aβ quantification or PET analysis. Thresholds of plasma Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio were determined based on a Gaussian mixture model, a decision tree, and the Youden's index. The 0.0472 threshold, the one with the highest sensitivity, was retained for general population without dementia screening, and the 0.0450 threshold was retained for research and clinical trials recruitment, aiming to minimize the need for CSF or PET analyses to identify amyloid-positive individuals. These findings offer a promising step towards a cost-effective method for identifying individuals at risk of developing AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lise Colmant
- Institute of Neuroscience, UCLouvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (L.C.); (E.B.); (T.G.); (P.L.); (P.K.-C.)
- Neurology Department, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, 1200 Brussels, Belgium;
- Institute of Information and Communication Technologies, Electronics and Applied Mathematics, UCLouvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Emilien Boyer
- Institute of Neuroscience, UCLouvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (L.C.); (E.B.); (T.G.); (P.L.); (P.K.-C.)
- Neurology Department, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, 1200 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Thomas Gerard
- Institute of Neuroscience, UCLouvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (L.C.); (E.B.); (T.G.); (P.L.); (P.K.-C.)
- Neurology Department, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, 1200 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Kristel Sleegers
- Complex Genetics of Alzheimer’s Disease Group, VIB-UAntwerp Center for Molecular Neurology, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium;
| | - Renaud Lhommel
- Neurology Department, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, 1200 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Adrian Ivanoiu
- Institute of Neuroscience, UCLouvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (L.C.); (E.B.); (T.G.); (P.L.); (P.K.-C.)
- Neurology Department, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, 1200 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Philippe Lefèvre
- Institute of Neuroscience, UCLouvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (L.C.); (E.B.); (T.G.); (P.L.); (P.K.-C.)
- Institute of Information and Communication Technologies, Electronics and Applied Mathematics, UCLouvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Pascal Kienlen-Campard
- Institute of Neuroscience, UCLouvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (L.C.); (E.B.); (T.G.); (P.L.); (P.K.-C.)
| | - Bernard Hanseeuw
- Institute of Neuroscience, UCLouvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (L.C.); (E.B.); (T.G.); (P.L.); (P.K.-C.)
- Neurology Department, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, 1200 Brussels, Belgium;
- WELBIO Department, WEL Research Institute, Avenue Pasteur, 6, 1300 Wavre, Belgium
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