Serum Tau Species in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy: A Pilot Study

Background/Objectives: Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) is a tauopathy showing a marked symptoms overlap with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). PSP pathology suggests that tau protein might represent a valuable biomarker to distinguish between the two diseases. Here, we investigated the presence and dia...

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Main Authors: Costanza Maria Cristiani, Luana Scaramuzzino, Elvira Immacolata Parrotta, Giovanni Cuda, Aldo Quattrone, Andrea Quattrone
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Diagnostics
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/14/23/2746
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author Costanza Maria Cristiani
Luana Scaramuzzino
Elvira Immacolata Parrotta
Giovanni Cuda
Aldo Quattrone
Andrea Quattrone
author_facet Costanza Maria Cristiani
Luana Scaramuzzino
Elvira Immacolata Parrotta
Giovanni Cuda
Aldo Quattrone
Andrea Quattrone
author_sort Costanza Maria Cristiani
collection DOAJ
description Background/Objectives: Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) is a tauopathy showing a marked symptoms overlap with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). PSP pathology suggests that tau protein might represent a valuable biomarker to distinguish between the two diseases. Here, we investigated the presence and diagnostic value of six different tau species (total tau, 4R-tau isoform, tau aggregates, p-tau202, p-tau231 and p-tau396) in serum from 13 PSP and 13 PD patients and 12 healthy controls (HCs). Methods: ELISA commercial kits were employed to assess all the tau species except for t-tau, which was assessed by a single molecule array (SIMOA)-based commercial kit. Possible correlations between tau species and biological and clinical features of our cohorts were also evaluated. Results: Among the six tau species tested, only p-tau396 was detectable in serum. Concentration of p-tau396 was significantly higher in both PSP and PD groups compared to HC, but PSP and PD patients showed largely overlapping values. Moreover, serum concentration of p-tau396 strongly correlated with disease severity in PSP and not in PD. Conclusions: Overall, we identified serum p-tau396 as the most expressed phosphorylated tau species in serum and as a potential tool for assessing PSP clinical staging. Moreover, we demonstrated that other p-tau species may be present at too low concentrations in serum to be detected by ELISA, suggesting that future work should focus on other biological matrices.
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spelling doaj-art-afd955adaca34227b8a04c87263a40e52025-08-20T02:38:43ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182024-12-011423274610.3390/diagnostics14232746Serum Tau Species in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy: A Pilot StudyCostanza Maria Cristiani0Luana Scaramuzzino1Elvira Immacolata Parrotta2Giovanni Cuda3Aldo Quattrone4Andrea Quattrone5Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyNeuroscience Research Center, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyInstitute of Molecular Biology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyResearch Centre for Advanced Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyNeuroscience Research Center, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyNeuroscience Research Center, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyBackground/Objectives: Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) is a tauopathy showing a marked symptoms overlap with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). PSP pathology suggests that tau protein might represent a valuable biomarker to distinguish between the two diseases. Here, we investigated the presence and diagnostic value of six different tau species (total tau, 4R-tau isoform, tau aggregates, p-tau202, p-tau231 and p-tau396) in serum from 13 PSP and 13 PD patients and 12 healthy controls (HCs). Methods: ELISA commercial kits were employed to assess all the tau species except for t-tau, which was assessed by a single molecule array (SIMOA)-based commercial kit. Possible correlations between tau species and biological and clinical features of our cohorts were also evaluated. Results: Among the six tau species tested, only p-tau396 was detectable in serum. Concentration of p-tau396 was significantly higher in both PSP and PD groups compared to HC, but PSP and PD patients showed largely overlapping values. Moreover, serum concentration of p-tau396 strongly correlated with disease severity in PSP and not in PD. Conclusions: Overall, we identified serum p-tau396 as the most expressed phosphorylated tau species in serum and as a potential tool for assessing PSP clinical staging. Moreover, we demonstrated that other p-tau species may be present at too low concentrations in serum to be detected by ELISA, suggesting that future work should focus on other biological matrices.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/14/23/2746progressive supranuclear palsyParkinson’s diseaseELISAp-tau396serum
spellingShingle Costanza Maria Cristiani
Luana Scaramuzzino
Elvira Immacolata Parrotta
Giovanni Cuda
Aldo Quattrone
Andrea Quattrone
Serum Tau Species in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy: A Pilot Study
Diagnostics
progressive supranuclear palsy
Parkinson’s disease
ELISA
p-tau396
serum
title Serum Tau Species in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy: A Pilot Study
title_full Serum Tau Species in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy: A Pilot Study
title_fullStr Serum Tau Species in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy: A Pilot Study
title_full_unstemmed Serum Tau Species in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy: A Pilot Study
title_short Serum Tau Species in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy: A Pilot Study
title_sort serum tau species in progressive supranuclear palsy a pilot study
topic progressive supranuclear palsy
Parkinson’s disease
ELISA
p-tau396
serum
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/14/23/2746
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