The relationship of soluble tau species with Alzheimer's disease amyloid plaque removal and tau pathology

Abstract

Background: Tau-derived cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers correlate with amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques or tau tangles in Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study assessed the effects of long-term anti-Aβ antibodies on amyloid plaques, tau tangles, and CSF tau species to determine the relationships between them.

Methods: A post-hoc analysis of the DIAN-TU-001 trial (NCT01760005) examined 142 participants at risk for dominantly inherited AD randomized to solanezumab (n = 50), gantenerumab (n = 52), or placebo (n = 40). High-resolution mass spectrometry quantified CSF tau species over four years.

Results: Phosphorylated tau (p-tau) species (153, 181, 217, 231) increased early in preclinical AD but were reduced with gantenerumab-mediated Aβ plaque reduction. Nearly a decade later, MTBR-tau243 and p-tau205 increased, showing no association with Aβ reduction, aligning with tau tangle pathology progression.

Discussion: Initially changing soluble p-tau species track Aβ plaque reduction, while ptau205 and MTBR-243 reflect tau tangle pathology, informing different pathways of therapeutic strategies.

Highlights: p-tau217 and p-tau231 correlate with Aβ-PET and respond to Aβ-plaque lowering therapies. Aβ immunotherapy trials support a direct link between p-tau changes and Aβ plaques Gantenerumab reduces Aβ plaques but does not affect tau NFT-related biomarkers. Blood-based p-tau217 assays may provide a non-invasive tool to monitor Aβ therapies. MTBR-tau243 strongly correlates with tau PET and tracks NFT pathology progression. Further studies are needed to validate tau biomarkers for tracking NFT-targeting therapies.