Interaction of APOE4 alleles and PET tau imaging in former contact sport athletes

Anna Vasilevskaya; Foad Taghdiri; Charles Burke; Apameh Tarazi; Seyed Ali Naeimi; Mozghan Khodadadi; Ruma Goswami; Christine Sato; Mark Grinberg; Danielle Moreno; Richard Wennberg; David Mikulis; Robin Green; Brenda Colella; Karen D. Davis; Pablo Rusjan; Sylvain Houle; Charles Tator; Ekaterina Rogaeva; Maria C. Tartaglia

NeuroImage: Clinical (Jan 2020)

Interaction of APOE4 alleles and PET tau imaging in former contact sport athletes

Anna Vasilevskaya,
Foad Taghdiri,
Charles Burke,
Apameh Tarazi,
Seyed Ali Naeimi,
Mozghan Khodadadi,
Ruma Goswami,
Christine Sato,
Mark Grinberg,
Danielle Moreno,
Richard Wennberg,
David Mikulis,
Robin Green,
Brenda Colella,
Karen D. Davis,
Pablo Rusjan,
Sylvain Houle,
Charles Tator,
Ekaterina Rogaeva,
Maria C. Tartaglia

Affiliations

Anna Vasilevskaya: Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, 60 Leonard avenue, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada; Division of Neurology, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada; Canadian Concussion Center, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada
Foad Taghdiri: Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, 60 Leonard avenue, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada; Canadian Concussion Center, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada
Charles Burke: Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, 60 Leonard avenue, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada; Division of Neurology, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada; Canadian Concussion Center, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada; School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, Windsor, ON, Canada
Apameh Tarazi: Division of Neurology, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada; Canadian Concussion Center, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada
Seyed Ali Naeimi: Canadian Concussion Center, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada
Mozghan Khodadadi: Canadian Concussion Center, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada
Ruma Goswami: Canadian Concussion Center, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada
Christine Sato: Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, 60 Leonard avenue, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
Mark Grinberg: Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, 60 Leonard avenue, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
Danielle Moreno: Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, 60 Leonard avenue, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
Richard Wennberg: Division of Neurology, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada; Canadian Concussion Center, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada
David Mikulis: Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada; Canadian Concussion Center, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada; Division of Neuroradiology, Joint Department of Medical Imaging, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada
Robin Green: Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada; Canadian Concussion Center, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada; Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Toronto, 500 University Ave, Toronto, ON, M5G 1V7, Canada
Brenda Colella: Canadian Concussion Center, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada; Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Toronto, 500 University Ave, Toronto, ON, M5G 1V7, Canada
Karen D. Davis: Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada; Canadian Concussion Center, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada; Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, 149 College St., Toronto, ON, M5T 1P5, Canada
Pablo Rusjan: Research Imaging Centre, Campbell Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
Sylvain Houle: Research Imaging Centre, Campbell Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
Charles Tator: Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada; Canadian Concussion Center, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada; Division of Neurosurgery, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada
Ekaterina Rogaeva: Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, 60 Leonard avenue, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada; Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
Maria C. Tartaglia: Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, 60 Leonard avenue, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada; Division of Neurology, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada; Canadian Concussion Center, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada; Corresponding author: Maria Carmela Tartaglia, University of Toronto, Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Krembil Discovery Tower, 60 Leonard Avenue, 6th floor 6KD-407, Toronto, ON M5T 2S8, Canada.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 26

Abstract

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Background: Genetic polymorphisms like apolipoprotein E (APOE) and microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) genes increase the risk of neurodegeneration. Methods: 38 former players (age 52.63±14.02) of contact sports underwent neuroimaging, biofluid collection, and comprehensive neuropsychological assessment. The [F-18]AV-1451 tracer signal was compared in the cortical grey matter between APOE4 allele carriers and non-carriers as well as carriers of MAPT H1H1 vs non-H1H1. Participants were then divided into the high (N = 13) and low (N = 13) groups based on cortical PET tau standard uptake value ratios (SUVRs) for comparison. Findings: Cortical grey matter PET tau SUVR values were significantly higher in APOE4 carriers compared to non-carriers (p = 0.020). In contrast, there was no significant difference in SUVR between MAPT H1H1 vs non-H1H1 carrier genes (p = 1.00). There was a significantly higher APOE4 allele frequency in the high cortical grey matter PET tau group, comparing to low cortical grey matter PET tau group (p = 0.048). No significant difference in neuropsychological function was found between APOE4 allele carriers and non-carriers. Interpretation: There is an association between higher cortical grey matter tau burden as seen with [F-18]AV-1451 PET tracer SUVR, and the APOE4 allele in former professional and semi-professional players at high risk of concussions. APOE4 allele may be a risk factor for tau accumulation in former contact sports athletes at high risk of neurodegeneration. Funding: Toronto General and Western Hospital Foundations; Weston Brain Institute; Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in ageing; Krembil Research Institute. There was no role of the funders in this study.

Published in NeuroImage: Clinical

ISSN: 2213-1582 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Medicine: Medicine (General): Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics; Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry: Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/neuroimage-clinical/

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