α-Synuclein species as potential cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers for dementia with lewy bodies

Inger van Steenoven*, Nour K. Majbour, Nishant N. Vaikath, Henk W. Berendse, Wiesje M. van der Flier, Wilma D.J. van de Berg, Charlotte E. Teunissen, Afina W. Lemstra, Omar M.A. El-Agnaf

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

87 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate the discriminating value of a range of CSF α-synuclein species for dementia with Lewy bodies compared with Alzheimer's disease, PD, and cognitively normal controls. Methods: We applied our recently published enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to measure the CSF levels of total α-synuclein, oligomeric α-synuclein, and phosphorylated α-synuclein in dementia with Lewy bodies (n = 42), Alzheimer's disease (n = 39), PD (n = 46), and controls (n = 78). General linear models corrected for age and sex were performed to assess differences in α-synuclein levels between groups. We used backward-elimination logistic regression analysis to investigate the combined discriminating value of the different CSF α-synuclein species and Alzheimer's disease biomarkers. Results: CSF levels of total α-synuclein were lower in dementia with Lewy bodies and PD compared with Alzheimer's disease as well as controls (P < 0.001). In contrast, CSF levels of oligomeric α-synuclein were higher in dementia with Lewy bodies and PD compared with Alzheimer's disease (P < 0.05) and controls (P < 0.001). No group differences were found for phosphorylated α-synuclein. In dementia with Lewy bodies and PD, CSF total α-synuclein levels positively correlated with tau and phosphorylated tau (both r > 0.40, P < 0.01), but not with amyloid-β1-42. The optimal combination to differentiate dementia with Lewy bodies from controls consisted of amyloid-β1-42, tau, total α-synuclein, oligomeric α-synuclein, age, and sex (AUC, 0.90). To differentiate dementia with Lewy bodies from Alzheimer's disease, the combination of tau and oligomeric α-synuclein resulted in an AUC of 0.83. CSF α-synuclein species do not contribute to the differentiation of dementia with Lewy bodies from PD. Conclusions: CSF α-synuclein species could be useful as part of a biomarker panel for dementia with Lewy bodies. Evaluating both oligomeric α-synuclein and total α-synuclein in CSF helps in the diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1724-1733
Number of pages10
JournalMovement Disorders
Volume33
Issue number11
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2018

Keywords

  • CSF
  • biomarkers
  • dementia with Lewy bodies
  • α-synuclein

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