Journal Article

DZNE-2025-01266

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Serum level changes of the synaptic marker beta-synuclein in Alzheimer's disease continuum and other dementias.

Barba, L. ; Bellomo, G. ; Alcolea, D. ; Wojdala, A. L. ; Gaetani, L. ; Fortea, J. ; Abu-Rumeileh, S. ; Lleó, A. ; Parnetti, L. ; Belbin, O. ; Otto, M. ; Oeckl, P. (Last author)DZNE*

2025
BMJ Publishing Group London

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1136/jnnp-2025-336189

Abstract: Beta-synuclein is an emerging blood biomarker for detecting synaptic damage in Alzheimer's disease (AD) but its role in early AD as well as in other dementias is unclear.We measured with immunoprecipitation mass-spectrometry serum beta-synuclein levels in an exploratory cohort of 80 patients recruited at the University of Perugia (Perugia, Italy) (n=56 AD; n=24 controls) and in a validation cohort of 269 patients recruited at the University of Barcelona (Barcelona, Spain) (n=108 AD; n=53 frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD); n=73 dementia with Lewy bodies and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) with Lewy bodies, together Lewy body disease (LBD); n=27 controls). We tested associations with diagnostic groups, cognitive decline and other cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood markers (phosphorylated tau protein in position 181 (pTau181), neurofilament light chain protein (NfL), glial fibrillar acidic protein (GFAP)).Serum beta-synuclein level was progressively increased in the AD continuum across the preclinical, MCI and dementia stages compared with controls and was correlated with serum pTau181 (r=0.710), NfL (r=0.494) and GFAP concentrations (r=0.621, p<0.001 for all). The biomarker showed high accuracy for the discrimination of AD vs controls (area under the curve (AUC): 0.87) and AD-MCI vs non-AD MCI (AUC: 0.96). High serum beta-synuclein level was correlated with lower Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) points at baseline (r=-0.461, p<0.001) and associated with MMSE change at follow-up after accounting for age, sex and the time from baseline to last follow-up visit (p=0.006). Serum beta-synuclein level was similar between FTLD and controls, whereas, in LBD, it was higher with AD copathology as evidenced by CSF analysis (p<0.001).High serum beta-synuclein level is a promising biomarker for AD-related synaptic damage.

Keyword(s): Humans (MeSH) ; Male (MeSH) ; Female (MeSH) ; Alzheimer Disease: blood (MeSH) ; Alzheimer Disease: cerebrospinal fluid (MeSH) ; Aged (MeSH) ; Biomarkers: blood (MeSH) ; Lewy Body Disease: blood (MeSH) ; Lewy Body Disease: cerebrospinal fluid (MeSH) ; Cognitive Dysfunction: blood (MeSH) ; Cognitive Dysfunction: cerebrospinal fluid (MeSH) ; tau Proteins: blood (MeSH) ; tau Proteins: cerebrospinal fluid (MeSH) ; beta-Synuclein: blood (MeSH) ; Aged, 80 and over (MeSH) ; Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration: blood (MeSH) ; Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration: cerebrospinal fluid (MeSH) ; Middle Aged (MeSH) ; Neurofilament Proteins: blood (MeSH) ; Neurofilament Proteins: cerebrospinal fluid (MeSH) ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein: blood (MeSH) ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein: cerebrospinal fluid (MeSH) ; Dementia: blood (MeSH) ; Cohort Studies (MeSH) ; ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE ; FRONTOTEMPORAL DEMENTIA ; LEWY BODY DEMENTIA ; NEUROCHEMISTRY ; Biomarkers ; tau Proteins ; beta-Synuclein ; neurofilament protein L ; Neurofilament Proteins ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Translational Mass Spectrometry and Biomarker Research (AG Öckl)

Research Program(s):

1. 353 - Clinical and Health Care Research (POF4-353) (POF4-353)

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Database coverage:
; BIOSIS Previews ; Biological Abstracts ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Clinical Medicine ; Current Contents - Life Sciences ; Ebsco Academic Search ; Essential Science Indicators ; IF >= 10 ; JCR ; National-Konsortium ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection

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