Neurofilament Light Chain Measurements by Centaur and Simoa Systems in Human and Murine Samples

Area of Science:

• Biomarker Discovery
• Neurological Diagnostics
• Assay Development

Background:

• Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a key biomarker for axonal injury in neurological disorders.
• The Quanterix Single Molecule Array (Simoa) is the current standard for NfL measurement.
• Automated immunoassays like the Siemens Centaur may offer viable alternatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• Compare NfL measurements between the Centaur and Simoa systems.
• Evaluate agreement and clinical applicability of the Centaur system for NfL.
• Assess suitability for research, clinical practice, and animal studies.

Main Methods:

• Measured NfL in human serum, plasma, and CSF, plus murine serum, using Centaur and Simoa.
• Compared concomitant serum and plasma NfL levels in humans.
• Evaluated inter-platform agreement and correlation.

Main Results:

• Strong correlation between Centaur and Simoa for NfL in human serum (r=0.97) and plasma (R²=0.95).
• Centaur showed higher NfL values than Simoa, but system-specific Z-scores normalized differences.
• Good correlation for serum/plasma (R²=0.98) and murine serum (R²=0.86); poor correlation for CSF (R²=0.32).

Conclusions:

• The Centaur system is a viable alternative to Simoa for NfL in human serum, plasma, and murine serum.
• System-specific, age-adjusted Z-scores are essential for interpreting Centaur NfL results.
• Further assessment is needed for Centaur's utility in CSF NfL measurement.