| 1. |
- Daborg, Jonny, et al.
(författare)
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Complement Gene Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Biomarker Endophenotypes of Alzheimer's Disease
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. - 1387-2877. ; 35:1, s. 51-57
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The complement system has been implicated in both physiological synapse elimination and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we investigated associations between four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in complement genes and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers for AD in 452 neurochemically or neuropathologically verified AD cases and 678 cognitively normal controls. None of the SNPs associated with risk of AD but there were potential associations of rs9332739 in the C2 gene and rs4151667 in the complement factor B gene with CSF tau levels (p = 0.023) and Mini-Mental State Examination scores (p = 0.012), both of which may be considered markers of disease intensity/severity.
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| 2. |
- Andersson, Carl-Henrik, et al.
(författare)
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A Genetic Variant of the Sortilin 1 Gene is Associated with Reduced Risk of Alzheimer's Disease
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. - 1387-2877 .- 1875-8908. ; 53:4, s. 1353-1363
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder represented by the accumulation of intracellular tau protein and extracellular deposits of amyloid-β (Aβ) in the brain. The gene sortilin 1 (SORT1) has previously been associated with cardiovascular disease in gene association studies. It has also been proposed to be involved in AD pathogenesis through facilitating Aβ clearance by binding apoE/Aβ complexes prior to cellular uptake. However, the neuropathological role of SORT1 in AD is not fully understood. To evaluate the associations between gene variants of SORT1 and risk of AD, we performed genetic analyses in a Swedish case-control cohort. Ten single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), covering the whole SORT1 gene, were selected and genotyped in 620 AD patients and 1107 controls. The SNP rs17646665, located in a non-coding region of the SORT1 gene, remained significantly associated with decreased risk of AD after multiple testing (pc = 0.0061). In addition, other SNPs were found to be nominally associated with risk of AD, as well as altered cognitive function and the CSF biomarker Aβ42, but these associations did not survive correction for multiple testing. The fact that SORT1 has been strongly associated with risk of cardiovascular disease is intriguing as cardiovascular disease is also regarded as a risk factor for AD. Finally, increased knowledge about SORT1 function has a potential to increase our understanding of APOE, the strongest risk factor for AD.
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| 3. |
- Bergman, Lina, 1982, et al.
(författare)
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Cerebral biomarkers in neurologic complications of preeclampsia
- 2022
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Ingår i: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0002-9378 .- 1097-6868. ; 227:2, s. 298.e1-298.e10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: There is no tool to accurately predict who is at risk of developing neurologic complications of preeclampsia, and there is no objective method to determine disease severity. Objective: We assessed whether plasma concentrations of the cerebral biomarkers neurofilament light, tau, and glial fibrillary acidic protein could reflect disease severity in several phenotypes of preeclampsia. Furthermore, we compared the cerebral biomarkers with the angiogenic biomarkers soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1, placental growth factor, and soluble endoglin. Study Design: In this observational study, we included women from the South African Preeclampsia Obstetric Adverse Events biobank. Plasma samples taken at diagnosis (preeclampsia cases) or admission for delivery (normotensive controls) were analyzed for concentrations of neurofilament light, tau, glial fibrillary acidic protein, placental growth factor, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1, and soluble endoglin. The cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of inflammatory markers and albumin were analyzed in a subgroup of 15 women. Analyses were adjusted for gestational age, time from seizures and delivery to sampling, maternal age, and parity. Results: Compared with 28 women with normotensive pregnancies, 146 women with preeclampsia demonstrated 2.18-fold higher plasma concentrations of neurofilament light (95% confidence interval, 1.64–2.88), 2.17-fold higher tau (95% confidence interval, 1.49–3.16), and 2.77-fold higher glial fibrillary acidic protein (95% confidence interval, 2.06–3.72). Overall, 72 women with neurologic complications (eclampsia, cortical blindness, and stroke) demonstrated increased plasma concentrations of tau (2.99-fold higher; 95% confidence interval, 1.92–4.65) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (3.22-fold higher; 95% confidence interval, 2.06–5.02) compared with women with preeclampsia without pulmonary edema; hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count; or neurologic complications (n=31). Moreover, angiogenic markers were higher, but to a lesser extent. Women with hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count (n=20) demonstrated increased plasma concentrations of neurofilament light (1.64-fold higher; 95% confidence interval, 1.06–2.55), tau (4.44-fold higher; 95% confidence interval, 1.85–10.66), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (1.82-fold higher; 95% confidence interval, 1.32–2.50) compared with women with preeclampsia without pulmonary edema; hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count; or neurologic complications. There was no difference shown in the angiogenic biomarkers. There was no difference between 23 women with preeclampsia complicated by pulmonary edema and women with preeclampsia without pulmonary edema; hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count; or neurologic complications for any of the biomarkers. Plasma concentrations of tau and glial fibrillary acidic protein were increased in women with several neurologic complications compared with women with eclampsia only. Conclusion: Plasma neurofilament light, glial fibrillary acidic, and tau were candidate biomarkers for the diagnosis and possibly prediction of cerebral complications of preeclampsia.
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| 4. |
- Celojevic, Dragana, 1985, et al.
(författare)
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Genetic Variation of Superoxide Dismutases in Patients with Primary Open-angle Glaucoma
- 2014
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Ingår i: Ophthalmic Genetics. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1381-6810 .- 1744-5094. ; 35:2, s. 79-84
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Abstract Purpose: Oxidative stress has been described as an underlying pathogenetic mechanism in retinal ganglion cell apoptosis, which is a hallmark of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are enzymes involved in the protection against oxidative stress by detoxification of superoxide. In this study, we investigated a number of disease-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the copper-zinc-containing SOD1 and SOD3, and in the manganese superoxide dismutase SOD2, in POAG patients. Methods: The study included 239 patients with POAG and 185 controls, all of Estonian origin, recruited at two ophthalmic clinics in Tartu, Estonia. Eleven SNPs, either functional, disease-associated or tag SNPs in SOD1, SOD2 and SOD3 were genotyped using TaqMan Allelic Discrimination. Haplotype analysis was performed on the SNPs in SOD2. Results: Using binary logistic regression in an additive model, the rs2842980 SNP in SOD2 was significantly associated with POAG diagnosis (p = 0.03) at a univariate level. None of the studied SNPs showed an association with risk of POAG in a multivariate analysis, including age and current smoking as covariates. Analysis of SOD2 haplotypes did not show any association with risk of POAG. Conclusions: If oxidative stress is an important mechanism in POAG-related retinal ganglion cell death, genetic variations in SOD1, SOD2 and SOD3 are not major contributors in the pathogenesis.
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| 5. |
- Celojevic, Dragana, 1985, et al.
(författare)
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Superoxide dismutase gene polymorphisms in patients with age-related cataract
- 2013
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Ingår i: Ophthalmic genetics. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1744-5094 .- 1381-6810. ; 34:3, s. 140-145
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Functional polymorphisms in genes encoding antioxidant enzymes may result in reduced enzyme activity and increased levels of reactive oxygen species, such as superoxide radicals, which in turn may contribute to increased risk of age-related disorders. Copper-zinc superoxide dismutases, SOD-1 and SOD-3, and manganese superoxide dismutase, SOD-2, are enzymes involved in the protection against oxidative stress and detoxification of superoxide. In this study, we investigated a number of disease-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of SOD1, SOD2 and SOD3, in patients with age-related cataract. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included an Estonian sample of 492 patients with age-related cataract, subgrouped into nuclear, cortical, posterior subcapsular and mixed cataract, and 185 controls. Twelve SNPs in SOD1, SOD2 and SOD3 were genotyped using TaqMan Allelic Discrimination. Haplotype analysis was performed on the SNPs in SOD2. RESULTS: None of the studied SNPs showed an association with risk of cataract. These results were consistent after adding known risk factors (age, sex and smoking) as covariates in the multivariate analyses and after stratification by cataract subtype. Analysis of SOD2 haplotypes did not show any associations with risk of cataract. CONCLUSIONS: If genetic variation in genes encoding SOD-1, SOD-2 and SOD-3 contributes to cataract formation, there is no major contribution of the SNPs analyzed in the present study.
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| 6. |
- Eckerström, Marie, 1981, et al.
(författare)
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Cognitive impairment without altered levels of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in patients with encephalitis caused by varicella-zoster virus: a pilot study.
- 2020
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Ingår i: Scientific reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 10:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is one of the most common agents causing viral infections of the central nervous system (CNS). VZV encephalitis is associated with severe neurological sequelae, despite antiviral treatment. Cognitive impairment has been reported and VZV has been associated with dementia. Our aim was to investigate the cognitive impairment and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in a follow-up study of patients with VZV encephalitis. Thirteen patients with VZV encephalitis, diagnosed by detection of VZV DNA in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by PCR and concomitant symptoms of encephalitis, were included. Neuropsychological assessment in parallel with a lumbar puncture to obtain CSF was performed 1.5-7 years after acute disease. The CSF biomarkers neurofilament light chain (NFL), S100B, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), amyloid-β (Aβ) 40 and Aβ42, total tau (t-tau) and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) were analysed and compared to controls (n = 24). Cognitive impairment was shown in the domains of executive functions and speed/attention and to a minor degree in the domains of learning/memory and language, indicated by a significantly poorer performance on seven neuropsychological test variables. No convincing evidence of alterations in concentrations of biomarkers in the CSF were shown. Our results indicate that patients with VZV encephalitis suffer from cognitive impairment long time after acute disease. Importantly, these impairments do not seem to be accompanied by biomarker evidence of ongoing neuronal or astrocytic injury/activation or induction of dementia-related brain pathologies by the infection.
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| 7. |
- Grahn, Anna, 1973, et al.
(författare)
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Cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in patients with varicella-zoster virus CNS infections.
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of neurology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1432-1459 .- 0340-5354. ; 260:7, s. 1813-1821
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is one of our most common viruses causing central nervous system (CNS) infection with sometimes severe neurological complications. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAp), light subunit of neurofilament protein (NFL) and S-100β protein are cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers that have been used to estimate the severity of brain damage and outcome in various CNS diseases. So far, these biomarkers have not been utilised to investigate glial pathology and neuronal damage in patients with VZV CNS infections. In this prospective study, we measured CSF GFAp, NFL and S-100β as markers of brain damage in 24 patients with acute neurological manifestations and VZV DNA detected in CSF by PCR and compared with a control group (n = 14). Concentrations of CSF NFL and GFAp were increased in patients with VZV CNS infection compared with controls (p = 0.002 and p = 0.03) while levels of S-100β were reduced. In patients with VZV encephalitis the elevations of CSF NFL and GFAp were more pronounced compared with patients with other VZV CNS syndromes. No correlations between the levels of biomarkers and viral load, neurological sequels or clinical outcome were found in this limited number of patients. These results indicate that VZV induces neuronal damage and astrogliosis with more severe brain damage in patients with VZV encephalitis than in patients with other neurological complications caused by this virus.
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| 8. |
- Jons, Daniel, 1974, et al.
(författare)
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Axonal injury in asymptomatic individuals preceding onset of multiple sclerosis
- 2022
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Ingår i: Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology. - : Wiley. - 2328-9503. ; 9:6, s. 882-887
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Axonal loss is the main cause of irreversible disability in multiple sclerosis (MS). Serum neurofilament light (sNfL) is a biomarker of axonal disintegration. In this nested case-control study, blood samples from 519 presymptomatic persons (age range 4-39 years) who later received an MS diagnosis showed higher sNfL concentrations than 519 matched controls (p < 0.0001), noticeable at least 10 years before clinical MS onset. Mean values for pre-MS and control groups were 9.6 pg/mL versus 7.4 pg/mL 0-5 years before onset, and 6.4 pg/mL versus 5.8 pg/mL 5-10 years before onset. These results support that axonal injury occurs early in MS pathogenesis.
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| 9. |
- Jons, Daniel, et al.
(författare)
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Seroreactivity against lytic, latent and possible cross-reactive EBV antigens appears on average 10 years before MS induced preclinical neuroaxonal damage
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. - : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 1468-330X .- 0022-3050.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) and presymptomatic axonal injury appear to develop only after an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. This association remains to be confirmed across a broad preclinical time range, for lytic and latent EBV seroreactivity, and for potential cross-reacting antigens. Methods: We performed a case-control study with 669 individual serum samples obtained before clinical MS onset, identified through cross-linkage with the Swedish MS register. We assayed antibodies against EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1), viral capsid antigen p18, glycoprotein 350 (gp350), the potential cross-reacting protein anoctamin 2 (ANO2) and the level of sNfL, a marker of axonal injury. Results: EBNA1 (latency) seroreactivity increased in the pre-MS group, at 15-20 years before clinical MS onset, followed by gp350 (lytic) seroreactivity (p=0.001-0.009), ANO2 seropositivity appeared shortly after EBNA1-seropositivity in 16.7% of pre-MS cases and 10.0% of controls (p=0.001).With an average lag of almost a decade after EBV, sNfL gradually increased, mainly in the increasing subgroup of seropositive pre-MS cases (p=8.10-5 compared with non-MS controls). Seropositive pre-MS cases reached higher sNfL levels than seronegative pre-MS (p=0.038). In the EBNA1-seropositive pre-MS group, ANO2 seropositive cases had 26% higher sNfL level (p=0.0026). Conclusions: Seroreactivity against latent and lytic EBV antigens, and in a subset ANO2, was detectable on average a decade before the appearance of a gradually increasing axonal injury occurring in the last decade before the onset of clinical MS. These findings strengthen the hypothesis of latent EBV involvement in the pathogenesis of MS.
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| 10. |
- Novakova, Lenka, et al.
(författare)
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Searching for neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis at clinical onset: Diagnostic value of biomarkers
- 2018
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203 .- 1932-6203. ; 13:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Neurodegeneration occurs during the early stages of multiple sclerosis. It is an essential, devastating part of the pathophysiology. Tools for measuring the degree of neurodegeneration could improve diagnostics and patient characterization. Objective This study aimed to determine the diagnostic value of biomarkers of degeneration in patients with recent clinical onset of suspected multiple sclerosis, and to evaluate these biomarkers for characterizing disease course. Methods This cross-sectional study included 271 patients with clinical features of suspected multiple sclerosis onset and was the baseline of a prospective study. After diagnostic investigations, the patients were classified into the following disease groups: Patients with clinically isolated syndrome (n = 4) or early relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (early RRMS; n = 93); patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis with disease durations ≥2 years (established RRMS; n = 39); patients without multiple sclerosis, but showing symptoms (symptomatic controls; n = 89); and patients diagnosed with other diseases (n = 46). In addition, we included healthy controls (n = 51) and patients with progressive multiple sclerosis (n = 23). We analyzed six biomarkers of neurodegeneration: Cerebrospinal fluid neurofilament light chain levels; cerebral spinal fluid glial fibrillary acidic protein; cerebral spinal fluid tau; retinal nerve fiber layer thickness; macula volume; and the brain parenchymal fraction. Results Except for increased cerebral spinal fluid neurofilament light chain levels, median 670 ng/L (IQR 400-2110), we could not find signs of early degeneration in the early disease group with recent clinical onset. However, the intrathecal immunoglobin G production and cerebral spinal fluid neurofilament light chain levels showed diagnostic value. Moreover, elevated levels of cerebral spinal fluid glial fibrillary acidic protein, thin retinal nerve fiber layers, and low brain parenchymal fractions were associated with progressive disease, but not with the other phenotypes. Thin retinal nerve fiber layers and low brain parenchymal fractions, which indicated neurodegeneration, were associated with longer disease duration. Conclusions In clinically suspected multiple sclerosis, intrathecal immunoglobin G production and neurofilament light chain levels had diagnostic value. Therefore, these biomarkers could be included in diagnostic work-ups for multiple sclerosis. We found that the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer and the brain parenchymal fraction were not different between individuals that were healthy, symptomatic, or newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. This finding suggested that neurodegeneration had not reached a significant magnitude in patients with a recent clinical onset of multiple sclerosis.
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