The TAU Protein as a Biomarker in Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Systematic Review
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Mentor Information
Dr. Olukemi Akintewe
Description
Diagnostic biomarkers allow medical professionals to assess disease progression and determine interventions. This systematic review highlights the effectiveness of the TAU protein as a biomarker of six neurodegenerative diseases: Huntington’s Disease (HD), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). The TAU protein is a neuronal protein that stabilizes microtubule structures in the brain. Abnormal TAU protein is associated with neurofibrillary tangles, leading to neuron disruption and degradation. This systematic review employed the PRISMA method to identify 43 relevant articles from an initial pool of 320. AD and HD exhibited elevated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Total TAU (T-TAU), a sign of neurodegeneration, indicating motor and cognitive decline. The correlation between HD’s mutant protein (mHTT) and CSF T-TAU suggests potential as a biomarker for AD and HD. Buildups of TAU proteins around brain blood vessels were pathological in FTD, ALS, PSP, and CTE, leading to motor neuron degeneration. Phosphorylated TAU (P-TAU) demonstrated greater effectiveness for prognosis, exhibiting specificity in differentiating AD from non-AD dementias, suggesting utility for differential diagnosis. Inconsistent TAU levels in ALS and other conditions warrant further investigation before integration into clinical practice. TAU holds promise in predicting disease progression in conditions such as AD, with elevated P-TAU levels preceding cognitive decline by years. Future research should accurately distinguish preclinical disease from normal aging, refine the role of TAU isoforms in different diseases, address inconsistencies, and navigate ethical complexities of early diagnosis to enhance the potential of TAU-based diagnostics.
The TAU Protein as a Biomarker in Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Systematic Review
Diagnostic biomarkers allow medical professionals to assess disease progression and determine interventions. This systematic review highlights the effectiveness of the TAU protein as a biomarker of six neurodegenerative diseases: Huntington’s Disease (HD), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). The TAU protein is a neuronal protein that stabilizes microtubule structures in the brain. Abnormal TAU protein is associated with neurofibrillary tangles, leading to neuron disruption and degradation. This systematic review employed the PRISMA method to identify 43 relevant articles from an initial pool of 320. AD and HD exhibited elevated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Total TAU (T-TAU), a sign of neurodegeneration, indicating motor and cognitive decline. The correlation between HD’s mutant protein (mHTT) and CSF T-TAU suggests potential as a biomarker for AD and HD. Buildups of TAU proteins around brain blood vessels were pathological in FTD, ALS, PSP, and CTE, leading to motor neuron degeneration. Phosphorylated TAU (P-TAU) demonstrated greater effectiveness for prognosis, exhibiting specificity in differentiating AD from non-AD dementias, suggesting utility for differential diagnosis. Inconsistent TAU levels in ALS and other conditions warrant further investigation before integration into clinical practice. TAU holds promise in predicting disease progression in conditions such as AD, with elevated P-TAU levels preceding cognitive decline by years. Future research should accurately distinguish preclinical disease from normal aging, refine the role of TAU isoforms in different diseases, address inconsistencies, and navigate ethical complexities of early diagnosis to enhance the potential of TAU-based diagnostics.
