Evaluation of CSF and plasma tau species as fluid surrogate candidates for tau PET in prodromal to moderate Alzheimer's disease
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: INTRODUCTION Positron emission tomography (PET) is a valuable tool for assessing tau pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD), but it is not widely accessible. Clarifying the relationship between fluid tau species and tau PET in AD may allow for the identification of fluid biomarkers that could serve as more accessible surrogates for tau PET. METHODS Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma tau species levels were assessed across prodromal to moderate AD subjects (CSF: n = 53, plasma: n = 181) via immunoassays and liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry. Fluid measures were correlated with [ 18 F]GTP1 tau PET at baseline for head‐to‐head comparisons across analytes. RESULTS CSF C2N‐eMTBR‐tau243, tau phosphorylated at threonine 205 (p‐tau205), p‐tau217, and a peptide from the tau‐441 microtubule‐binding region (MTBR) (MTBR/243‐254) exhibited the highest correlations with [ 18 F]GTP1 standardized uptake value ratio. Plasma p‐tau181 and p‐tau217 demonstrated correlation rankings with tau PET similar to those observed with corresponding CSF analytes. DISCUSSION CSF C2N‐eMTBR‐tau243, MTBR/243‐254, p‐tau205, and p‐tau217 demonstrated comparable strong correlations with tau PET. These findings may guide future development of plasma biomarker surrogates for tau PET.
Source: Alzheimer s & Dementia
DOI: 10.1002/alz.71604
Authors: Julie Lee, Emily Olafson, Balazs Toth, Ellen Casavant, Stephen Schauer, Tobias Bittner, Matthew R. Meyer, Philip B. Verghese, Venky Venkatesh, Tim West, Joel B. Braunstein, Anne Biever, Emilia Calderon, Melanie Mandl, Anna Bayfield, Casper C. Hoogenraad, Edmond Teng, Cecilia Monteiro, Veronica G. Anania, Sandra M. Sanabria Bohórquez, Felix L. Yeh
Institutions: Genentech, Roche (Switzerland), C2N Diagnostics (United States)
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,200
Funder: Genentech
OpenAlex ID: W7166522967