Identification of a novel panel of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease

An early and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is required to initiate symptomatic treatment with currently approved drugs and will be of even greater importance if disease modifying compounds in development display a clinical effect. Protein profiles of human cerebrospinal fluid samples from AD patients (n = 95) and population-based healthy controls (n = 72) were analyzed by SELDI-TOF-MS in order to discover and characterize novel candidate biomarker combinations that differentiate AD patients from normal aging in this explorative study. Thirty candidate biomarkers (ROC AUC > 0.7) were discovered that could differentiate patients with AD from healthy controls. Protein sequence determination and positive identification of 15 biomarkers revealed potential associations between the identified markers and AD pathogenesis. A multi-marker combination of five peaks could distinguish AD from healthy control individuals with high sensitivity (97%) and specificity (98%). The panel of five markers was tested on a blinded independent data set of 30 AD samples and 28 controls giving 100% sensitivity and 97% specificity. This novel panel of biomarkers could potentially be used to improve the accuracy of diagnosis of AD

Genus delimitation, biogeography and diversification of Choristoneura Lederer (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) based on molecular evidence

International audienceWidely known for pest species that include major modulators of temperateforests, the genus Choristoneura is part of the species-rich tribe Archipini of leafrollermoths (Tortricidae). Delimitation of the genus has remained unresolved because nophylogeny has included species endemic to Africa and studies have often omitted thetype species of the genus. Further taxonomic confusion has been generated by thetransfer of Archips occidentalis (Walsingham) to Choristoneura, creating a homonymwith Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman, an important defoliator of North Americanforests. To define the limits of the genus, we reconstructed a phylogeny using DNAsequences for mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I and nuclear ribosomal 28Sgenes. Our ingroup included 23 Choristoneura species-level taxa, complemented by alarge sample of outgroups comprising 82 species of Archipini and other Tortricidae.We generated a time-calibrated tree using fossil and secondary calibrations and weinferred biogeographic and diversification processes in Choristoneura. Our analysisrecovered the genus as polyphyletic, with Archips occidentalis, Choristoneura simonyiand Choristoneura evanidana excluded from the main clade. Based on the recoveredphylogenies and a redefinition, we restrict Choristoneura primarily to species with anorthern hemisphere distribution. Our analysis supports A. occidentalis as the sistergroup of Cacoecimorpha pronubana, C. simonyi as the sister of ‘Xenotemna’ pallorana,and C. evanidana as the sister of Archips purpurana. A new combination is proposed:Archips evanidana comb.n.; the availability of ‘Xenotemna’ as a valid name is discussedand A. occidentalis is considered as an orphaned name within the Archipini. Wefound support for a Holarctic origin of Choristoneura about 23 Ma, followed by earlydivergence in the Palearctic region. The main divergence occurred at 16Ma, with oneclade in the Nearctic and another in the Palearctic. Subsequent cladogenetic eventswere synchronous and related to herbivorous specialization, with each clade dividedinto coniferophagous and polyphagous lineages. Their specialization as conifer feederstemporally matched the expansion of boreal forest during the Miocene

The utility of α-synuclein as biofluid marker in neurodegenerative diseases: A systematic review of the literature

The discovery of α-synuclein (α-syn) as a major component of Lewy bodies, neuropathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies and of glial inclusions in multiple system atrophy initiated the investigation of α-syn as a biomarker in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Due to the involvement of the periphery in PD the quantification of α-syn in peripheral fluids such as serum, plasma and saliva has been investigated as well. We review how the development of multiple assays for the quantification of α-syn has yielded novel insights into the variety of α-syn species present in the different fluids; the optimal preanalytical conditions required for robust quantification and the potential clinical value of α-syn as biomarker. We also suggest future approaches to use of CSF α-syn in neurodegenerative diseases. © 2015 Future Medicine Ltd