Different pattern of CSF glial markers between dementia with Lewy bodies and Alzheimer's disease

Sci Rep. 2019 May 24;9(1):7803. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-44173-8.

Abstract

The role of innate immunity in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) has been little studied. We investigated the levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of glial proteins YKL-40, soluble TREM2 (sTREM2) and progranulin in DLB and their relationship with Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers. We included patients with DLB (n = 37), prodromal DLB (prodDLB, n = 23), AD dementia (n = 50), prodromal AD (prodAD, n = 53), and cognitively normal subjects (CN, n = 44). We measured levels of YKL-40, sTREM2, progranulin, Aβ1-42, total tau (t-tau) and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) in CSF. We stratified the group DLB according to the ratio t-tau/Aβ1-42 (≥0.52, indicative of AD pathology) and the A/T classification. YKL-40, sTREM2 and progranulin levels did not differ between DLB groups and CN. YKL-40 levels were higher in AD and prodAD compared to CN and to DLB and prodDLB. Patients with DLB with a CSF profile suggestive of AD copathology had higher levels of YKL-40, but not sTREM2 or PGRN, than those without. T+ DLB patients had also higher YKL-40 levels than T-. Of these glial markers, only YKL-40 correlated with t-tau and p-tau in DLB and in prodDLB. In contrast, in prodAD, sTREM2 and PGRN also correlated with t-tau and p-tau. In conclusion, sTREM2 and PGRN are not increased in the CSF of DLB patients. YKL-40 is only increased in DLB patients with an AD biomarker profile, suggesting that the increase is driven by AD-related neurodegeneration. These data suggest a differential glial activation between DLB and AD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Alzheimer Disease / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Alzheimer Disease / pathology
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Biomarkers / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1 / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lewy Body Disease / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Lewy Body Disease / pathology
  • Male
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuroglia / pathology
  • Peptide Fragments / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Progranulins / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Receptors, Immunologic

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Biomarkers
  • CHI3L1 protein, human
  • Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1
  • GRN protein, human
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Progranulins
  • Receptors, Immunologic
  • TREM2 protein, human
  • amyloid beta-protein (1-42)