Tau protein and 14-3-3 protein in the differential diagnosis of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease

Abstract

The differential diagnostic significance of the 14-3-3 immunoblot is similar to that of the tau-protein ELISA. The advantage of the tau-protein ELISA is that it is easy to use in routine laboratories. Patients with a negative 14-3-3 immunoblot already have measurable tau-protein levels. This increases information on 14-3-3-negative patients with CJD and especially on patients with other diseases.

Dissociation between CSF total tau and tau protein phosphorylated at threonine 231 in Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease

“…In agreement with earlier studies, we found excessively high levels of t-tau in CJD patients compared to the AD and the age-matched HC groups [15,20,21]. CSF p-tau 231 concentrations, however, were significantly lower in CJD patients compared to the AD group, indicating an opposite direction of change in t-tau and p-tau 231 expression in the CSF of CJD patients.…”

“…Each patient was visited by a research physician and examined using a standardized protocol. According to the clinical criteria, all suspected cases of CJD were classified as "probable", "possible", or "other" cases [15]. Before clinical staging into "probable" or "possible", all patients underwent at least one cranial CT or MRI, or both, to exclude ischemic stroke, hemorrhage, or space-occupying lesions as a cause of the illness.…”

“…Moreover, a biomarker to support differential diagnosis between CJD and AD would be clinically meaningful. In cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), determination of total tau protein (t-tau) concentration is of high diagnostic value for CJD with sensitivity and specificity levels above 90% when distinguishing CJD from non-demented and demented neurological controls and AD [11,15,20,21]. T-tau levels are elevated both in CJD and AD relative to controls, but the increase is several magnitudes higher in CJD compared to AD.…”

Cerebrospinal fluid tau levels are a marker for molecular subtype in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

“…Lumbar punctures were performed at time of diagnosis; CSF tau protein levels were quantitatively analysed using a commercially available ELISA according to the manufacturer's instructions (Innogenetics, Ghent, Belgium) (Otto, et al, 2002).…”

Diagnostic profiles of patients with late-onset Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease differ from those of younger Creutzfeldt–Jakob patients: a historical cohort study using data from the German National Reference Center

“…CSF Tau protein was quantitatively analysed using a commercially available ELISA according to the manufacturer's instructions (Innogenetics, Ghent, Belgium). A positive Tau-test was considered at a cut off level >1300pg/ml [10].…”