Background: The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is increasing worldwide, particularly in low- to middle-income countries (LMICs). Resource limitations and time constraints in many LMICs make AD screening and diagnosis difficult in the clinical setting. Neurodegenerative biomarkers in human tears may be associated with neurodegenerative diseases, but its potential has yet to be investigated in AD. Amyloid-beta, tau, α-synuclein, and neurofilament light (NfL) levels in tears were compared in patients with AD (AD+) and age-matched negative controls (AD-).
Methods: Samples were collected from a cohort of AD+ (N=26) and age-matched AD- (N=9) individuals at a public neurological hospital in Lima, Peru. Tears were collected on Schirmer strips, which were dried and frozen. Proteins were then extracted into a PBS-based buffer and tested for biomarkers using commercial ELISA kits, Luminex assays, and digital ELISA methods from Quanterix and NanoMosaic. Biomarker burdens were compared between AD+ and AD- patients using digital ELISA results. Amyloid-beta 40, Amyloid-beta 42, total tau, phosphorylated-tau181 (pTau181), α-synuclein, and NfL burdens were evaluated using various ELISA methods, and Human TIMP-1 was used as a control.
Results: Initial analyses using commercial ELISA and Luminex methods proved inconclusive. NfL burden was evaluated using the Quanterix digital ELISA platform showed a detectable protein burden in 3 AD- samples and 1 AD+ samples, but remained statistically insignificant (p = 0.45). A custom digital ELISA assay on the NanoMosaic platform showed AD+ status was associated with elevated Total Tau (p = 0.0023) and pTau181 (p = 0.0016) burden in tear proteome as compared to AD- samples, shown in Figures 1 and 2.
Conclusions: Due to considerably lower limits of detection, the Quanterix and custom NanoMosaic assays allowed for increased sensitivity of biomarker detection in human tears. Our results indicate a significant association between AD+ status and elevated Total Tau and pTau181 levels in tears, and suggest the potential for tears to be pursued as a potential non-invasive and accessible addition to AD screening and diagnosis, particularly for LMICs.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/alz.089809 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
The predictive value of anti-IFI16 antibodies for the development or persistence of digital ulcers in systemic sclerosis.
Clin Rheumatol
January 2025
Department of Rheumatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, No.12 Wulumuqi Zhong Road, Shanghai, 200040, China.
To evaluate the association of anti-IFI16 antibodies with peripheral vasculopathy and the predictive value of anti-IFI16 antibodies for the development or persistence of digital ulcers (DPDU) in SSc. A total of 42 SSc patients and 42 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled. Anti-IFI16 antibodies were examined by ELISA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEquipmentless point-of-care testing of dengue antibodies using ELISA and smartphones.
J Pharm Biomed Anal
January 2025
INTEC (Universidad Nacional del Litoral-CONICET), Predio CCT CONICET-Santa Fe, RN 168, Santa Fe S3000GLN, Argentina. Electronic address:
Infections with the dengue virus affect more than 100 million people every year. The infected can present a mild form of the disease or a severe form, which can, eventually, lead to death. Dengue prevails in tropical and subtropical regions, although increased incidence has been observed in the last years in tempered climates.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiomarkers.
Alzheimers Dement
December 2024
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Background: The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is increasing worldwide, particularly in low- to middle-income countries (LMICs). Resource limitations and time constraints in many LMICs make AD screening and diagnosis difficult in the clinical setting. Neurodegenerative biomarkers in human tears may be associated with neurodegenerative diseases, but its potential has yet to be investigated in AD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiomarkers.
Alzheimers Dement
December 2024
Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Toyonaka, Japan.
Background: We have developed a technology for isolating extracellular vesicles (EVs) released from the central nervous system present in plasma.
Method: Initially, we differentiated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) into neurons to examine the membrane surface molecules of neuron-derived EVs in culture media. Our analysis revealed a specific interest in neuron-specific APLP1.
Developing Topics.
Alzheimers Dement
December 2024
Deep Human Biology Learning (DHBL), Eisai Inc., Nutley, NJ, USA.
Background: We developed a highly sensitive immunoassay method using lecanemab that selectively captures amyloid-β (Aβ) protofibril (PF). To characterize Aβ-PF in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), we investigated the CSF Aβ-PF levels in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) at different disease stages. We also studied the association of CSF Aβ-PF with other AD-related biomarkers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!