| 1. |
- Cicognola, Claudia, et al.
(författare)
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Novel tau fragments in cerebrospinal fluid : relation to tangle pathology and cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease
- 2019
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Ingår i: Acta Neuropathologica. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0001-6322 .- 1432-0533. ; 137:2, s. 279-296
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tau is an axonal microtubule-binding protein. Tau pathology in brain and increased tau concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Most of tau in CSF is present as fragments. We immunoprecipitated tau from CSF and identified several endogenous peptides ending at amino acid (aa) 123 or 224 using high-resolution mass spectrometry. We raised neo-epitope-specific antibodies against tau fragments specifically ending at aa 123 and 224, respectively. With these antibodies, we performed immunohistochemistry on brain tissue and designed immunoassays measuring N-123, N-224, and x-224 tau. Immunoassays were applied to soluble brain fractions from pathologically confirmed subjects (81 AD patients, 33 controls), CSF from three cross-sectional and two longitudinal cohorts (a total of 133 AD, 38 MCI, 20 MCI-AD, 31 PSP, 15 CBS patients, and 91 controls), and neuronally- and peripherally-derived extracellular vesicles (NDEVs and PDEVs, respectively) in serum from four AD patients and four controls. Anti-tau 224 antibody stained neurofibrillary tangles and neuropil threads, while anti-tau 123 only showed weak cytoplasmic staining in AD. N-224 tau was lower in the AD soluble brain fraction compared to controls, while N-123 tau showed similar levels. N-224 tau was higher in AD compared to controls in all CSF cohorts (p < 0.001), but not N-123 tau. Decrease in cognitive performance and conversion from MCI to AD were associated with increased baseline CSF levels of N-224 tau (p < 0.0001). N-224 tau concentrations in PSP and CBS were significantly lower than in AD (p < 0.0001) and did not correlate to t-tau and p-tau. In a longitudinal cohort, CSF N-224 tau levels were stable over 6 months, with no significant effect of treatment with AChE inhibitors. N-224 tau was present in NDEVs, while N-123 tau showed comparable concentrations in both vesicle types. We suggest that N-123 tau is produced both in CNS and PNS and represents a general marker of tau metabolism, while N-224 tau is neuron-specific, present in the tangles, secreted in CSF, and upregulated in AD, suggesting a link between tau cleavage and propagation, tangle pathology, and cognitive decline.
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| 2. |
- Kvartsberg, Hlin, 1987, et al.
(författare)
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The intact postsynaptic protein neurogranin is reduced in brain tissue from patients with familial and sporadic Alzheimer's disease.
- 2019
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Ingår i: Acta neuropathologica. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1432-0533 .- 0001-6322. ; 137:1, s. 89-102
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Synaptic degeneration and neuronal loss are early events in Alzheimer's disease (AD), occurring long before symptom onset, thus making synaptic biomarkers relevant for enabling early diagnosis. The postsynaptic protein neurogranin (Ng) is a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker for AD, also in the prodromal phase. Here we tested the hypothesis that during AD neurodegeneration, processing of full-length Ng into endogenous peptides in the brain is increased. We characterized Ng in post-mortem brain tissue and investigated the levels of endogenous Ng peptides in relation to full-length protein in brain tissue of patients with sporadic (sAD) and familial Alzheimer's disease (fAD), healthy controls and individuals who were cognitively unaffected but amyloid-positive (CU-AP) in two different brain regions. Brain tissue from parietal cortex [sAD (n = 10) and age-matched controls (n = 10)] and temporal cortex [sAD (n=9), fAD (n=10), CU-AP (n=13) and controls (n=9)] were included and all the samples were analyzed by three different methods. Using high-resolution mass spectrometry, 39 endogenous Ng peptides were identified while full-length Ng was found to be modified including disulfide bridges or glutathione. In sAD parietal cortex, the ratio of peptide-to-total full-length Ng was significantly increased for eight endogenous Ng peptides compared to controls. In the temporal cortex, several of the peptide-to-total full-length Ng ratios were increased in both sAD and fAD cases compared to controls and CU-AP. This finding was confirmed by western blot, which mainly detects full-length Ng, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, most likely detecting a mix of peptides and full-length Ng. In addition, Ng was significantly associated with the degree of amyloid and tau pathology. These results suggest that processing of Ng into peptides is increased in AD brain tissue, which may reflect the ongoing synaptic degeneration, and which is also mirrored as increased levels of Ng peptides in CSF.
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| 3. |
- Mattsson, Niklas, et al.
(författare)
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Association Between Longitudinal Plasma Neurofilament Light and Neurodegeneration in Patients With Alzheimer Disease
- 2019
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Ingår i: Jama Neurology. - : American Medical Association (AMA). - 2168-6149. ; 76:7, s. 791-799
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- IMPORTANCE Plasma neurofilament light (NfL) has been suggested as a noninvasive biomarker to monitor neurodegeneration in Alzheimer disease (AD), but studies are lacking. OBJECTIVE To examine whether longitudinal plasma NfL levels are associated with other hallmarks of AD. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This North American cohort study used data from 1583 individuals in the multicenter Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative study from September 7, 2005, through June 16, 2016. Patients were eligible for inclusion if they had NfL measurements. Annual plasma NfL samples were collected for up to 11 years and were analyzed in 2018. EXPOSURES Clinical diagnosis, A beta and tau cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers, imaging measures (magnetic resonance imaging and fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography), and tests on cognitive scores. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was the association between baseline exposures (diagnosis, CSF biomarkers, imaging measures, and cognition) and longitudinal plasma NfL levels, analyzed by an ultrasensitive assay. The secondary outcomes were the associations between a multimodal classification scheme with A beta, tau, and neurodegeneration (ie, the ATN system) and plasma NfL levels and between longitudinal changes in plasma NfL levels and changes in the other measures. RESULTS Of the included 1583 participants, 716 (45.2%) were women, and the mean (SD) age was 72.9 (7.1) years; 401 had no cognitive impairment, 855 had mild cognitive impairment, and 327 had AD dementia. The NfL level was increased at baseline in patients with mild cognitive impairment and AD dementia (mean levels: cognitive unimpairment, 32.1 ng/L; mild cognitive impairment, 37.9 ng/L; and AD dementia, 45.9 ng/L; P<.001) and increased in all diagnostic groups, with the greatest increase in patients with AD dementia. A longitudinal increase in NfL level correlated with baseline CSF biomarkers (low A beta 42 [P=.001], high total tau [P=.02], and high phosphorylated tau levels [P=.02]), magnetic resonance imaging measures (small hippocampal volumes [P<.001], thin regional cortices [P=.009], and large ventricular volumes [P=.002]), low fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography uptake (P=.01), and poor cognitive performance (P<.001) for a global cognitive score. With use of the ATN system, increased baseline NfL levels were seen in A-T+N+ (P<.001), A+T-N+ (P<.001), and A+T+N+ (P<.001), and increased rates of NfL levels were seen in A-T+N- (P=.009), A-T+N+ (P=.02), A+T-N+ (P=.04), and A+T+N+ (P=.002). Faster increase in NfL levels correlated with faster increase in CSF biomarkers of neuronal injury, faster rates of atrophy and hypometabolism, and faster worsening in global cognition (all P<.05 in patients with mild cognitive impairment; associations differed slightly in cognitively unimpaired controls and patients with AD dementia). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE The findings suggest that plasma NfL can be used as a noninvasive biomarker associated with neurodegeneration in patients with AD and may be useful to monitor effects in trials of disease-modifying drugs.
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| 4. |
- Olsson, B, et al.
(författare)
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Association of Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurofilament Light Protein Levels With Cognition in Patients With Dementia, Motor Neuron Disease, and Movement Disorders.
- 2019
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Ingår i: JAMA neurology. - : American Medical Association (AMA). - 2168-6157 .- 2168-6149. ; 76:3, s. 318-325
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Neuronal and axonal destruction are hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases, but it is difficult to estimate the extent and progress of the damage in the disease process.To investigate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of neurofilament light (NFL) protein, a marker of neuroaxonal degeneration, in control participants and patients with dementia, motor neuron disease, and parkinsonian disorders (determined by clinical criteria and autopsy), and determine its association with longitudinal cognitive decline.In this case-control study, we investigated NFL levels in CSF obtained from controls and patients with several neurodegenerative diseases. Collection of samples occurred between 1996 and 2014, patients were followed up longitudinally for cognitive testing, and a portion were autopsied in a single center (University of Pennsylvania). Data were analyzed throughout 2016.Concentrations of NFL in CSF.Levels of CSF NFL and correlations with cognition scores.A total of 913 participants (mean [SD] age, 68.7 [10.0] years; 456 [49.9%] women) were included: 75 control participants plus 114 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), 397 with Alzheimer disease, 96 with frontotemporal dementia, 68 with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, 41 with Parkinson disease (PD), 19 with PD with MCI, 29 with PD dementia, 33 with dementia with Lewy bodies, 21 with corticobasal syndrome, and 20 with progressive supranuclear palsy. Cognitive testing follow-up occurred for 1 to 18 years (mean [SD], 0.98 [2.25] years); autopsy-verified diagnoses were available for 120 of 845 participants with diseases (14.2%). There was a stepwise increase in CSF NFL levels between control participants (median [range] score, 536 [398-777] pg/mL), participants with MCI (831 [526-1075] pg/mL), and those with Alzheimer disease (951 [758-1261] pg/mL), indicating that NFL levels increase with increasing cognitive impairment. Levels of NFL correlated inversely with baseline Mini-Mental State Examination scores (ρ, -0.19; P<.001) in the full cohort (n=822) and annual score decline in the full cohort (ρ, 0.36, P<.001), participants with AD (ρ, 0.25; P<.001), and participants with FTD (ρ, 0.46; P=.003). Concentrations of NFL were highest in participants with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (median [range], 4185 [2207-7453] pg/mL) and frontotemporal dementia (2094 [230-7744] pg/mL). In individuals with parkinsonian disorders, NFL concentrations were highest in those with progressive supranuclear palsy (median [range], 1578 [1287-3104] pg/mL) and corticobasal degeneration (1281 [828-2713] pg/mL). The NFL concentrations in CSF correlated with TDP-43 load in 13 of 17 brain regions in the full cohort. Adding NFL to β-amyloid 42, total tau, and phosphorylated tau increased accuracy of discrimination of diseases.Levels of CSF NFL are associated with cognitive impairments in patients with Alzheimer disease and frontotemporal dementia. In other neurodegenerative disorders, NFL levels appear to reflect the intensity of the neurodegenerative processes.
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| 5. |
- Olsson, Bob, 1969, et al.
(författare)
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NFL is a marker of treatment response in children with SMA treated with nusinersen
- 2019
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Ingår i: Journal of Neurology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0340-5354 .- 1432-1459. ; 266:9, s. 2129-2136
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Recently, the anti-sense oligonucleotide drug nusinersen was approved for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and our aim was to find a response marker for this treatment. Methods Twelve children with SMA type 1 and two copies of the SMN2 gene were included in a consecutive single-center study. The children were sampled for CSF at baseline and every time nusinersen was given intrathecally. The neuronal biomarkers NFL and tau and the glial biomarker GFAP were measured. Motor function was assessed using CHOP INTEND. Eleven similarly aged children, who were investigated to rule out neurological or infectious disease, were used as controls. Results Baseline levels of NFL (4598 +/- 981 vs 148 +/- 39, P = 0.001), tau (939 +/- 159 vs 404 +/- 86, P = 0.02), and GFAP (236 +/- 44 vs 108 +/- 26, P = 0.02) were significantly higher in SMA children than controls. Motor function improved by nusinersen treatment in median 13 points corresponding to 5.4 points per month of treatment (P = 0.001). NFL levels typically normalized ( < 380 pg/ml) between the fourth and fifth doses [- 879.5 pg/mL/dose, 95% CI (- 1243.4, - 415.6), P = 0.0001], tau levels decreased [- 112.6 pg/mL/dose, 95% CI (- 206-7, - 18.6), P = 0.01], and minor decreases in GFAP were observed [- 16.9 pg/mL/dose, 95% CI (- 22.8, - 11.2), P = 0.02] by nusinersen treatment. Improvement in motor function correlated with reduced concentrations of NFL (rho = - 0.64, P = 0.03) and tau (rho = - 0.85, P = 0.0008) but not GFAP. Conclusions Nusinersen normalized the axonal damage marker NFL and correlated with motor improvement in children with SMA. NFL may, therefore, be a novel biomarker to monitor treatment response early in the disease course.
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| 6. |
- Portelius, Erik, 1977, et al.
(författare)
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Cerebrospinal fluid neurogranin concentration in neurodegeneration: relation to clinical phenotypes and neuropathology.
- 2018
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Ingår i: Acta neuropathologica. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1432-0533 .- 0001-6322. ; 136:3, s. 363-376
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Neurogranin (Ng) is a post-synaptic protein that previously has been shown to be a biomarker for synaptic function when measured in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The CSF concentration of Ng is increased in Alzheimer's disease dementia (ADD),and even in the pre-dementia stage. In this prospective study, we used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay that quantifies Ng in CSF to test the performance of Ng as a marker of synaptic function. In 915 patients, CSF Ng was evaluated across several different neurodegenerative diseases. Of these 915 patients, 116 had a neuropathologically confirmed definitive diagnosis and the relation between CSF Ng and topographical distribution of different pathologies in the brain was evaluated. CSF Ng was specifically increased in ADD compared to eight other neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease (p<0.0001), frontotemporal dementia (p<0.0001), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (p=0.0002). Similar results were obtained in neuropathologically confirmed cases. Using a biomarker index to evaluate whether CSF Ng contributed diagnostic information to the core AD CSF biomarkers (amyloid β (Aβ), t-tau, and p-tau), we show that Ng significantly increased the discrimination between AD and several other disorders. Higher CSF Ng levels were positively associated with greater Aβ neuritic plaque (Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) neuritic plaque score, p=0.0002) and tau tangle pathology (Braak neurofibrillary tangles staging, p=0.0007) scores. In the hippocampus and amygdala, two brain regions heavily affected in ADD with high expression of Ng, CSF Ng was associated with plaque (p=0.0006 and p<0.0001), but not with tangle, α-synuclein, or TAR DNA-binding protein 43 loads. These data support that CSF Ng is increased specifically in ADD, that high CSF Ng concentrations likely reflect synaptic dysfunction and that CSF Ng is associated with β-amyloid plaque pathology.
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| 7. |
- Sandelius, Anna Stina, 1952, et al.
(författare)
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Transient increase in CSF GAP-43 concentration after ischemic stroke.
- 2018
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Ingår i: BMC neurology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2377. ; 18:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers reflect ongoing processes in the brain. Growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43) is highly upregulated in brain tissue shortly after experimental ischemia suggesting the CSF GAP-43 concentration may be altered in ischemic brain disorders. CSF GAP-43 concentration is elevated in Alzheimer's disease patients; however, patients suffering from stroke have not been studied previously.The concentration of GAP-43 was measured in longitudinal CSF samples from 28 stroke patients prospectively collected on days 0-1, 2-4, 7-9, 3weeks, and 3-5months after ischemia and cross-sectionally in 19 controls. The stroke patients were clinically evaluated using a stroke severity score system. The extent of the brain lesion, including injury size and degrees of white matter lesions and atrophy were evaluated by CT and magnetic resonance imaging.Increased GAP-43 concentration was detected from day 7-9 to 3weeks after stroke, compared to day 1-4 and to levels in the control group (P=0.02 and P=0.007). At 3-5months after stroke GAP-43 returned to admission levels. The initial increase in GAP-43 during the nine first days was associated to stroke severity, the degree of white matter lesions and atrophy and correlated positively with infarct size (rs=0.65, P=0.001).The transient increase of CSF GAP-43 is important to take into account when used as a biomarker for other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. Furthermore, GAP-43 may be a marker of neuronal responses after stroke and additional studies confirming the potential of CSF GAP-43 to reflect severity and outcome of stroke in larger cohorts are warranted.
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