The Alzheimer's Association international guidelines for handling of cerebrospinal fluid for routine clinical measurements of amyloid ß and tau.

The core cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers amyloid beta (Aß42 and Aß40), total tau, and phosphorylated tau, have been extensively clinically validated, with very high diagnostic performance for AD, including the early phases of the disease. However, between-center differences in pre-analytical procedures may contribute to variability in measurements across laboratories. To resolve this issue, a workgroup was led by the Alzheimer's Association with experts from both academia and industry. The aim of the group was to develop a simplified and standardized pre-analytical protocol for CSF collection and handling before analysis for routine clinical use, and ultimately to ensure high diagnostic performance and minimize patient misclassification rates. Widespread application of the protocol would help minimize variability in measurements, which would facilitate the implementation of unified cut-off levels across laboratories, and foster the use of CSF biomarkers in AD diagnostics for the benefit of the patients.

Antibody-based methods for the measurement of α-synuclein concentration in human cerebrospinal fluid - method comparison and round robin study.

α-Synuclein is the major component of Lewy bodies and a candidate biomarker for neurodegenerative diseases in which Lewy bodies are common, including Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. A large body of literature suggests that these disorders are characterized by reduced concentrations of α-synuclein in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), with overlapping concentrations compared to healthy controls and variability across studies. Several reasons can account for this variability, including technical ones, such as inter-assay and inter-laboratory variation (reproducibility). We compared four immunochemical methods for the quantification of α-synuclein concentration in 50 unique CSF samples. All methods were designed to capture most of the existing α-synuclein forms in CSF ('total' α-synuclein). Each of the four methods showed high analytical precision, excellent correlation between laboratories (R2 0.83-0.99), and good correlation with each other (R2 0.64-0.93), although the slopes of the regression lines were different between the four immunoassays. The use of common reference CSF samples decreased the differences in α-synuclein concentration between detection methods and technologies. Pilot data on an immunoprecipitation mass spectrometry (IP-MS) method is also presented. Our results suggest that the four immunochemical methods and the IP-MS method measure similar forms of α-synuclein and that a common reference material would allow harmonization of results between immunoassays.

Commutability of the certified reference materials for the standardization of ß-amyloid 1-42 assay in human cerebrospinal fluid: lessons for tau and ß-amyloid 1-40 measurements.

BACKGROUND: The core Alzheimer's disease cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers total tau (T-tau), phosphorylated tau (P-tau), ß-amyloid 1-42 (Aß42) and ß-amyloid 1-40 (Aß40) are increasing in importance and are now part of the research criteria for the diagnosis of the disease. The main aim of this study is to evaluate whether a set of certified reference materials (CRMs) are commutable for Aß42 and to serve as a feasibility study for the other markers. This property is a prerequisite for the establishment of CRMs which will then be used by manufacturers to calibrate their assays against. Once the preanalytical factors have been standardized and proper selection criteria are available for subject cohorts this harmonization between methods will allow for universal cut-offs to be determined. METHODS: Thirty-four individual CSF samples and three different CRMs where analyzed for T-tau, P-tau, Aß42 and Aß40, using up to seven different commercially available methods. For Aß40 and Aß42 a mass spectrometry-based procedure was also employed. RESULTS: There were strong pairwise correlations between the different methods (Spearman's ρ>0.92) for all investigated analytes and the CRMs were not distinguishable from the individual samples. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the CRMs are commutable for the different assays for Aß42. For the other analytes the results show that it would be feasible to also produce CRMs for these. However, additional studies are needed as the concentration interval for the CRMs were selected based on Aß42 concentrations only and did in general not cover satisfactory large concentration intervals for the other analytes.

A user's guide for α-synuclein biomarker studies in biological fluids: Perianalytical considerations.

Parkinson's disease biomarkers are needed to increase diagnostic accuracy, to objectively monitor disease progression and to assess therapeutic efficacy as well as target engagement when evaluating novel drug and therapeutic strategies. This article summarizes perianalytical considerations for biomarker studies (based on immunoassays) in Parkinson's disease, with emphasis on quantifying total α-synuclein protein in biological fluids. Current knowledge and pitfalls are discussed, and selected perianalytical variables are presented systematically, including different temperature of sample collection and types of collection tubes, gradient sampling, the addition of detergent, aliquot volume, the freezing time, and the different thawing methods. We also discuss analytical confounders. We identify gaps in the knowledge and delineate specific areas that require further investigation, such as the need to identify posttranslational modifications of α-synuclein and antibody-independent reference methods for quantification, as well as the analysis of potential confounders, such as comorbidities, medication, and phenotypes of Parkinson's disease in larger cohorts. This review could be used as a guideline for future Parkinson's disease biomarker studies and will require regular updating as more information arises in this growing field, including new technical developments as they become available. In addition to reviewing best practices, we also identify the current technical limitations and gaps in the knowledge that should be addressed to enable accurate and quantitative assessment of α-synuclein levels in the clinical setting. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Assessing the commutability of reference material formats for the harmonization of amyloid-ß measurements.

BACKGROUND: The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) amyloid-ß (Aß42) peptide is an important biomarker for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Variability in measured Aß42 concentrations at different laboratories may be overcome by standardization and establishing traceability to a reference system. Candidate certified reference materials (CRMs) are validated herein for this purpose. METHODS: Commutability of 16 candidate CRM formats was assessed across five CSF Aß42 immunoassays and one mass spectrometry (MS) method in a set of 48 individual clinical CSF samples. Promising candidate CRM formats (neat CSF and CSF spiked with Aß42) were identified and subjected to validation across eight (Elecsys, EUROIMMUN, IBL, INNO-BIA AlzBio3, INNOTEST, MSD, Simoa, and Saladax) immunoassays and the MS method in 32 individual CSF samples. Commutability was evaluated by Passing-Bablok regression and the candidate CRM termed commutable when found within the prediction interval (PI). The relative distance to the regression line was assessed. RESULTS: The neat CSF candidate CRM format was commutable for almost all method comparisons, except for the Simoa/MSD, Simoa/MS and MS/IBL where it was found just outside the 95% PI. However, the neat CSF was found within 5% relative distance to the regression line for MS/IBL, between 5% and 10% for Simoa/MS and between 10% and 15% for Simoa/MSD comparisons. CONCLUSIONS: The neat CSF candidate CRM format was commutable for 33 of 36 method comparisons, only one comparison more than expected given the 95% PI acceptance limit. We conclude that the neat CSF candidate CRM can be used for value assignment of the kit calibrators for the different Aß42 methods.

Guidelines for the standardization of preanalytic variables for blood-based biomarker studies in Alzheimer's disease research.

The lack of readily available biomarkers is a significant hindrance toward progressing to effective therapeutic and preventative strategies for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Blood-based biomarkers have potential to overcome access and cost barriers and greatly facilitate advanced neuroimaging and cerebrospinal fluid biomarker approaches. Despite the fact that preanalytical processing is the largest source of variability in laboratory testing, there are no currently available standardized preanalytical guidelines. The current international working group provides the initial starting point for such guidelines for standardized operating procedures (SOPs). It is anticipated that these guidelines will be updated as additional research findings become available. The statement provides (1) a synopsis of selected preanalytical methods utilized in many international AD cohort studies, (2) initial draft guidelines/SOPs for preanalytical methods, and (3) a list of required methodological information and protocols to be made available for publications in the field to foster cross-validation across cohorts and laboratories.

Global standardization measurement of cerebral spinal fluid for Alzheimer's disease: an update from the Alzheimer's Association Global Biomarkers Consortium.

Recognizing that international collaboration is critical for the acceleration of biomarker standardization efforts and the efficient development of improved diagnosis and therapy, the Alzheimer's Association created the Global Biomarkers Standardization Consortium (GBSC) in 2010. The consortium brings together representatives of academic centers, industry, and the regulatory community with the common goal of developing internationally accepted common reference standards and reference methods for the assessment of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) amyloid ß42 (Aß42) and tau biomarkers. Such standards are essential to ensure that analytical measurements are reproducible and consistent across multiple laboratories and across multiple kit manufacturers. Analytical harmonization for CSF Aß42 and tau will help reduce confusion in the AD community regarding the absolute values associated with the clinical interpretation of CSF biomarker results and enable worldwide comparison of CSF biomarker results across AD clinical studies.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease: A View of the Regulatory Science Qualification Landscape from the Coalition Against Major Diseases CSF Biomarker Team.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) drug development is burdened with the current requirement to conduct large, lengthy, and costly trials to overcome uncertainty in patient progression and effect size on treatment outcome measures. There is an urgent need for the discovery, development, and implementation of novel, objectively measured biomarkers for AD that would aid selection of the appropriate subpopulation of patients in clinical trials, and presumably, improve the likelihood of successfully evaluating innovative treatment options. Amyloid deposition and tau in the brain, which are most commonly assessed either in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or by molecular imaging, are consistently and widely accepted. Nonetheless, a clear gap still exists in the accurate identification of subjects that truly have the hallmarks of AD. The Coalition Against Major Diseases (CAMD), one of 12 consortia of the Critical Path Institute (C-Path), aims to streamline drug development for AD and related dementias by advancing regulatory approved drug development tools for clinical trials through precompetitive data sharing and adoption of consensus clinical data standards. This report focuses on the regulatory process for biomarker qualification, briefly comments on how it contrasts with approval or clearance of companion diagnostics, details the qualifications currently available to the field of AD, and highlights the current challenges facing the landscape of CSF biomarkers qualified as hallmarks of AD. Finally, it recommends actions to accelerate regulatory qualification of CSF biomarkers that would, in turn, improve the efficiency of AD therapeutic development.

Reference measurement procedures for Alzheimer's disease cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers: definitions and approaches with focus on amyloid ß42.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) are increasingly used in clinical settings, research and drug trials. However, their broad-scale use on different technology platforms is hampered by the lack of standardization at the level of sample handling, determination of concentrations of analytes and the absence of well-defined performance criteria for in vitro diagnostic or companion diagnostic assays, which influences the apparent concentration of the analytes measured and the subsequent interpretation of the data. There is a need for harmonization of CSF AD biomarker assays that can reliably, across centers, quantitate CSF biomarkers with high analytical precision, selectivity and stability over long time periods. In this position paper, we discuss reference procedures for the measurement of CSF AD biomarkers, especially amyloid ß42 and tau. We describe possible technical approaches, focusing on a selected reaction monitoring mass spectrometry assay as a candidate reference method for quantification of CSF amyloid ß42.

Elevated cerebrospinal fluid BACE1 activity in incipient Alzheimer disease.

BACKGROUND: We used a sensitive and specific beta-site amyloid precursor protein (APP)-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) assay to determine the relationship between BACE1 activity in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and markers of APP metabolism and axonal degeneration in early and late stages of Alzheimer disease (AD). OBJECTIVE: To assess CSF BACE1 activity in AD. DESIGN: Case-control and longitudinal follow-up study. SETTING: Specialized memory clinic. Patients Eighty-seven subjects with AD, 33 cognitively normal control subjects, and 113 subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), who were followed up for 3 to 6 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cerebrospinal fluid BACE1 activity in relation to diagnosis and CSF levels of secreted APP and amyloid beta protein (Abeta) isoforms and the axonal degeneration marker total tau. RESULTS: Subjects with AD had higher CSF BACE1 activity (median, 30 pM [range, 11-96 pM]) than controls (median, 23 pM [range, 8-43 pM]) (P =.02). Subjects with MCI who progressed to AD during the follow-up period had higher baseline BACE1 activity (median, 35 pM [range, 18-71 pM]) than subjects with MCI who remained stable (median, 29 pM [range, 14-83 pM]) (P < .001) and subjects with MCI who developed other forms of dementia (median, 20 pM [range, 10-56 pM]) (P <.001). BACE1 activity correlated positively with CSF levels of secreted APP isoforms and Abeta(40) in the AD and control groups and in all MCI subgroups (P < .05) except the MCI subgroup that developed AD. Strong positive correlations were found between CSF BACE1 activity and total tau levels in all MCI subgroups (r >or= 0.57, P