TY  - JOUR
AU  - Wilke, Carlo
AU  - Mengel, David
AU  - Schöls, Ludger
AU  - Hengel, Holger
AU  - Rakowicz, Maria
AU  - Klockgether, Thomas
AU  - Dürr, Alexandra
AU  - Filla, Alessandro
AU  - Melegh, Bela
AU  - Schüle, Rebecca
AU  - Reetz, Kathrin
AU  - Jacobi, Heike
AU  - Synofzik, Matthis
TI  - Levels of Neurofilament Light at the Preataxic and Ataxic Stages of Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 1
JO  - Neurology
VL  - 98
IS  - 20
SN  - 0028-3878
CY  - [S.l.]
PB  - Ovid
M1  - DZNE-2022-01188
SP  - e1985 - e1996
PY  - 2022
AB  - Neurofilament light (NfL) appears to be a promising fluid biomarker in repeat-expansion spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs), with piloting studies in mixed SCA cohorts suggesting that NfL might be increased at the ataxic stage of SCA type 1 (SCA1). We here hypothesized that NfL is increased not only at the ataxic stage of SCA1, but also at its (likely most treatment-relevant) preataxic stage.Methods We assessed serum NfL (sNfL) and CSF NfL (cNfL) levels in both preataxic and ataxic SCA1, leveraging a multicentric cohort recruited at 6 European university centers, and clinical follow-up data, including actually observed (rather than only predicted) conversion to the ataxic stage. Levels of sNfL and cNfL were assessed by single-molecule array and ELISA technique, respectively.Results Forty individuals with SCA1 (23 preataxic, 17 ataxic) and 89 controls were enrolled, including 11 preataxic individuals converting to the ataxic stage. sNfL levels were increased at the preataxic (median 15.5 pg/mL [interquartile range 10.5–21.1 pg/mL]) and ataxic stage (31.6 pg/mL [26.2–37.7 pg/mL]) compared to controls (6.0 pg/mL [4.7–8.6 pg/mL]), yielding high age-corrected effect sizes (preataxic: r = 0.62, ataxic: r = 0.63). sNfL increases were paralleled by increases of cNfL at both the preataxic and ataxic stage. In preataxic individuals, sNfL levels increased with proximity to predicted ataxia onset, with significant sNfL elevations already 5 years before onset, and confirmed in preataxic individuals with actually observed ataxia onset. sNfL increases were detected already in preataxic individuals with SCA1 without volumetric atrophy of cerebellum or pons, suggesting that sNfL might be more sensitive to early preataxic neurodegeneration than the currently known most change-sensitive regions in volumetric MRI. Using longitudinal sNfL measurements, we estimated sample sizes for clinical trials with the reduction of sNfL as the endpoint.Discussion sNfL levels might provide easily accessible peripheral biomarkers in both preataxic and ataxic SCA1, allowing stratification of preataxic individuals regarding proximity to onset, early detection of neurodegeneration even before volumetric MRI alterations, and potentially capture of treatment response in clinical trials.Trial Registration Information ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01037777.Classification of Evidence This study provides Class III evidence that NfL levels are increased in both ataxic and preataxic SCA1 and are associated with ataxia onset.
KW  - Atrophy: pathology
KW  - Biomarkers
KW  - Cerebellar Ataxia: pathology
KW  - Cerebellum: pathology
KW  - Humans
KW  - Intermediate Filaments
KW  - Neurofilament Proteins
KW  - Spinocerebellar Ataxias: diagnosis
LB  - PUB:(DE-HGF)16
C2  - pmc:PMC9162044
C6  - pmid:35264424
DO  - DOI:10.1212/WNL.0000000000200257
UR  - https://pub.dzne.de/record/164658
ER  -