A genome-wide association study of plasma phosphorylated tau181

Jodie Lord; Anna Zettergren; Nicholas J Ashton; Thomas K Karikari; Andrea L Benedet; Joel Simrén; Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative; Abdul Hye; Dag Aarsland; AddNeuroMed consortium; Kaj Blennow; Henrik Zetterberg; Petroula Proitsi

doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.04.018

A genome-wide association study of plasma phosphorylated tau181

Neurobiol Aging. 2021 Oct:106:304.e1-304.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.04.018. Epub 2021 May 4.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
² Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AGECAP) at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
³ Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden; Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health & Biomedical Research Unit for Dementia at South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation, London, UK.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.
⁵ Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden.
⁶ Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health & Biomedical Research Unit for Dementia at South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation, London, UK; Centre for Age Related Research, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.
⁷ Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; Centre for Age Related Research, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.
⁸ Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden; Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK. Electronic address: henrik.zetterberg@clinchem.gu.se.
⁹ Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK. Electronic address: Petroula.proitsi@kcl.ac.uk.

PMID: 34119372
DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.04.018

Abstract

Plasma phosphorylated tau at threonine-181 (P-tau181) demonstrates promise as an accessible blood-based biomarker specific to Alzheimer's Disease (AD), with levels recently demonstrating high predictive accuracy for AD-relevant pathology. The genetic underpinnings of P-tau181 levels, however, remain elusive. This study presents the first genome-wide association study of plasma P-tau181 in a total sample of 1153 participants from 2 independent cohorts. No loci, other than those within the APOE genomic region (lead variant = rs429358, beta = 0.32, p =8.44 × 10^-25) demonstrated association with P-tau181 at genome-wide significance (p < 5 × 10^-08), though rs60872856 on chromosome 2 came close (beta = -0.28, p = 3.23 × 10^-07, nearest gene=CYTIP). As the APOE ε4 allele is already a well-established genetic variant associated with AD, this study found no evidence of novel genetic associations relevant to plasma P-tau181, though presents rs60872856 on chromosome 2 as a candidate locus to be further evaluated in future larger size GWAS.

Keywords: Genome wide association study; P-tau181; Plasma biomarkers; Plasma phosphorylated tau181.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Alzheimer Disease / diagnosis*
Alzheimer Disease / genetics*
Biomarkers / blood
Chromosomes, Human, Pair 2 / genetics
Cohort Studies
Female
Genome-Wide Association Study / methods*
Humans
Male
Negative Results
Phosphorylation
tau Proteins / blood*

Substances

Biomarkers
tau Proteins

Grants and funding

R01 AG068398/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States