The cerebrospinal fluid levels of tau, growth-associated protein-43 and soluble amyloid precursor protein correlate in Alzheimer's disease, reflecting a common pathophysiological process

Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2001 Jul-Aug;12(4):257-64. doi: 10.1159/000051268.

Abstract

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of tau (total tau), growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43), soluble amyloid precursor protein (sAPP; i.e. total sAPP), and beta-amyloid(42) (Abeta(42)) were studied in patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD; n = 14), Alzheimer's disease (AD; n = 47) and vascular dementia (VAD; n = 16), and in age-matched controls (n = 12). CSF-tau was increased in AD compared to controls and FTD (p < 0.001 for both). CSF-GAP-43 was increased in AD compared to controls (p < 0.05), and both CSF-GAP-43 and CSF-sAPP were increased in AD compared to FTD (p < 0.01). Positive and highly significant correlations were found between CSF-tau and CSF-GAP-43 in all groups and between CSF-tau, CSF-GAP-43 and CSF-sAPP in AD. The correlations found may reflect a common pathophysiologic process such as axonal degeneration.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Alzheimer Disease / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Alzheimer Disease / genetics
  • Alzheimer Disease / metabolism
  • Alzheimer Disease / physiopathology
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Apolipoproteins E / genetics
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Dementia, Vascular / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Female
  • GAP-43 Protein / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Peptide Fragments / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Pick Disease of the Brain / cerebrospinal fluid
  • tau Proteins / cerebrospinal fluid*

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor
  • Apolipoproteins E
  • GAP-43 Protein
  • Peptide Fragments
  • amyloid beta-protein (10-43)
  • tau Proteins