Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin (SHBG) in Cerebrospinal Fluid Does Not Discriminate between the Main FTLD Pathological Subtypes but Correlates with Cognitive Decline in FTLD Tauopathies
Marta del Campo,
Yolande A. L. Pijnenburg,
Alice Chen-Plotkin,
David J. Irwin,
Murray Grossman,
Harry A. M. Twaalfhoven,
William T. Hu,
Lieke H. Meeter,
John van Swieten,
Lisa Vermunt,
Frans Martens,
Annemieke C. Heijboer,
Charlotte E. Teunissen
Affiliations
Marta del Campo
Neurochemistry Laboratory, Department of Clinical Chemistry, and Biobank, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Yolande A. L. Pijnenburg
Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location VUmc, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Alice Chen-Plotkin
Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
David J. Irwin
Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Murray Grossman
Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Harry A. M. Twaalfhoven
Neurochemistry Laboratory, Department of Clinical Chemistry, and Biobank, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
William T. Hu
Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
Lieke H. Meeter
Department of Neurology and Alzheimer Center, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
John van Swieten
Department of Neurology and Alzheimer Center, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Lisa Vermunt
Neurochemistry Laboratory, Department of Clinical Chemistry, and Biobank, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Frans Martens
Endocrine Laboratory, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Annemieke C. Heijboer
Endocrine Laboratory, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Charlotte E. Teunissen
Neurochemistry Laboratory, Department of Clinical Chemistry, and Biobank, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Biomarkers to discriminate the main pathologies underlying frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD-Tau, FTLD-TDP) are lacking. Our previous FTLD cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteome study revealed that sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) was specifically increased in FTLD-Tau patients. Here we investigated the potential of CSF SHBG as a novel biomarker discriminating the main FTLD pathological subtypes. SHBG was measured in CSF samples from patients with FTLD-Tau (n = 23), FTLD-TDP (n = 29) and controls (n = 33) using an automated electro-chemiluminescent immunoassay. Differences in CSF SHBG levels across groups, as well as its association with CSF YKL40, pTau181/total-Tau ratio and cognitive function were analyzed. CSF SHBG did not differ across groups, though a trend towards elevated levels in FTLD-Tau cases compared to FTLD-TDP and controls was observed. CSF SHBG levels were not associated with either CSF YKL40 or the p/tTau ratio. They, however, inversely correlated with the MMSE score (r = −0.307, p = 0.011), an association likely driven by the FTLD-Tau group (r FTLD-Tau = −0.38; r FTLD-TDP = −0.02). CSF SHBG is not a suitable biomarker to discriminate FTLD-Tau from FTLD-TDP.
