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Zeitlberger AM, Thomas-Black G, Garcia-Moreno H, Foiani M, Heslegrave AJ, Zetterberg H, Giunti P. Plasma Markers of Neurodegeneration Are Raised in Friedreich's Ataxia. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:366. [PMID: 30425621 PMCID: PMC6218876 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is the most common autosomal recessive ataxia. Disease-modifying treatments are not available yet; however, several compounds are currently under investigation. As a result, there is a growing need for the identification of robust and easily accessible biomarkers for the monitoring of disease activity and therapeutic efficacy. The simultaneous measurement of multiple brain-derived proteins could represent a time- and cost-efficient approach for biomarker investigation in pathologically complex neurodegenerative diseases like FRDA. Objectives: To investigate the role of plasma neurofilament-light chain (NfL), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), total tau (t-tau) and ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1(UCHL1) as biomarkers in FRDA. Additionally, NfL measurements derived from the novel multiplex assay were compared to those from an established NfL singleplex assay. Methods: In this study, an ultrasensitive Single molecule array (Simoa) 4-plex assay was used for the measurement of plasma NfL, GFAP, t-tau, and UCHL1 in 33 FRDA patients and 13 age-matched controls. Differences in biomarker concentrations between these groups were computed and associations with genetic and disease related parameters investigated. Additionally, the agreement between NfL measurements derived from the 4-Plex and an established Simoa NfL singleplex assay was assessed. Results: Mean plasma NfL, GFAP and UCHL1 levels were significantly higher in FRDA patients than in controls (NfL: p < 0.001; GFAP: p = 0.006, and UCHL1: p = 0.020). Conversely, there was no significant difference in concentrations of t-tau in the patient and control group (p = 0.236). None of the proteins correlated with the GAA repeat length or the employed measures of disease severity. The individual NfL values derived from the two assays showed a strong concordance (rc = 0.93). Although the mean difference of 1.29 pg/mL differed significantly from 0 (p = 0.006), regression analysis did not indicate the presence of a proportional bias. Conclusion: This is the first study demonstrating that NfL, GFAP, and UCHL1 levels are raised in FRDA, potentially reflecting ongoing neuronal degeneration and glial activation. Further studies are required to determine their role as marker for disease activity and progression. Furthermore, the novel 4-plex assay appears to be a valid tool to simultaneously measure brain-derived proteins at extremely low concentrations in the peripheral circulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M Zeitlberger
- Ataxia Centre, Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London Hospitals Foundation NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gilbert Thomas-Black
- Ataxia Centre, Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London Hospitals Foundation NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Hector Garcia-Moreno
- Ataxia Centre, Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London Hospitals Foundation NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Martha Foiani
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Amanda J Heslegrave
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden.,Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Paola Giunti
- Ataxia Centre, Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London Hospitals Foundation NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
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Kallakuri S, Purkait HS, Dalavayi S, VandeVord P, Cavanaugh JM. Blast overpressure induced axonal injury changes in rat brainstem and spinal cord. J Neurosci Rural Pract 2016; 6:481-7. [PMID: 26752889 PMCID: PMC4692002 DOI: 10.4103/0976-3147.169767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Blast induced neurotrauma has been the signature wound in returning soldiers from the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Of importance is understanding the pathomechansim(s) of blast overpressure (OP) induced axonal injury. Although several recent animal models of blast injury indicate the neuronal and axonal injury in various brain regions, animal studies related to axonal injury in the white matter (WM) tracts of cervical spinal cord are limited. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the extent of axonal injury in WM tracts of cervical spinal cord in male Sprague Dawley rats subjected to a single insult of blast OP. Materials and Methods: Sagittal brainstem sections and horizontal cervical spinal cord sections from blast and sham animals were stained by neurofilament light (NF-L) chain and beta amyloid precursor protein immunocytochemistry and observed for axonal injury changes. Results: Observations from this preliminary study demonstrate axonal injury changes in the form of prominent swellings, retraction bulbs, and putative signs of membrane disruptions in the brainstem and cervical spinal cord WM tracts of rats subjected to blast OP. Conclusions: Prominent axonal injury changes following the blast OP exposure in brainstem and cervical spinal WM tracts underscores the need for careful evaluation of blast induced injury changes and associated symptoms. NF-L immunocytochemistry can be considered as an additional tool to assess the blast OP induced axonal injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srinivasu Kallakuri
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Heena S Purkait
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Satya Dalavayi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Pamela VandeVord
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - John M Cavanaugh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
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