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Blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease: a multicenter-based cross-sectional and longitudinal study in China
Feng Gao1, Linbin Dai1, Qiong Wang2
1Department of Neurology, Institute on Aging and Brain Disorders, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, China; Neurodegenerative Disorder Research Center, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
Insights
This study validates blood biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease (AD) in the Chinese Han population. Plasma pTau and serum GFAP show promise for early AD detection and screening.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Biomarker Research
- Gerontology
Background:
- Racial and lifestyle factors can cause discrepancies in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) diagnostic biomarkers.
- Systematic, multicenter studies evaluating AD biomarkers in Chinese populations are lacking.
- There is a need to assess blood-based AD biomarkers in the Chinese Han population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effectiveness of blood biomarkers for AD in the Chinese Han population.
- To establish baseline AD biomarker levels using a multicenter approach.
- To evaluate the association of biomarkers with cognitive decline and neurodegeneration.
Main Methods:
- A multicenter, cross-sectional, and longitudinal study of 817 blood samples from 6 clinical centers.
- Measurement of plasma amyloid beta (Aβ)-40, Aβ42, phosphorylated tau 181 (pTau), total tau (tTau), serum neurofilament light (NFL), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP).
- Utilized 18F-florbetapir positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging; analyzed APOE genotype.
Main Results:
- A combination of APOE genotype, plasma pTau, and serum GFAP effectively distinguished Aβ status.
- Baseline GFAP levels strongly correlated with cognitive decline and brain atrophy.
- Higher GFAP levels predicted accelerated neurodegeneration.
Conclusions:
- Blood biomarkers are practical for AD assessment in the diverse Chinese Han population.
- Plasma pTau and serum GFAP show potential as non-invasive tools for early AD detection and screening.
- This research provides crucial data on AD biomarkers within a specific ethnic group.
Abstract:
Discrepancies in diagnostic biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease (AD) may arise from racial disparities, risk factors, or lifestyle differences. Moreover, there has been a lack of systematic and multicenter studies to evaluate baselines of the AD biomarkers in Chinese populations. Thus, there is an urgent need for research to investigate the effectiveness of blood biomarkers for AD, specifically in the Chinese Han population, using a multicenter approach. In the present multicenter-based cross-sectional and longitudinal study, we evaluated 817 blood samples from 6 different clinical centers. We measured plasma amyloid beta (Aβ)-40, Aβ42, phosphorylated tau 181 (pTau), total tau (tTau), serum neurofilament light (NFL), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Additionally, 18F-florbetapir positron electron tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were also performed. A combination of the APOE genotype with plasma pTau and serum GFAP demonstrated exceptional performance in distinguishing Aβ status. Furthermore, baseline GFAP levels exhibited a strong association with cognitive decline over time and brain atrophy, with higher GFAP levels predicting a faster rate of neurodegeneration. In summary, these results validate the practicality of blood biomarkers in the Chinese Han population, encompassing various regions within China. Additionally, they emphasize the potential of pTau and GFAP as non-invasive methods for detecting and screening AD at an early stage.
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