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Introduction: Blood protein biomarkers demonstrate potential for Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis. Limited studies examine the molecular changes in AD blood cells., Methods: Bulk RNA-sequencing of blood cells was performed on AD patients of Chinese descent (n = 214 and 26 in the discovery and validation cohorts, respectively) with normal controls (n = 208 and 38 in the discovery and validation cohorts, respectively). Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and deconvolution analysis identified AD-associated gene modules and blood cell types. Regression and unsupervised clustering analysis identified AD-associated genes, gene modules, cell types, and established AD classification models., Results: WGCNA on differentially expressed genes revealed 15 gene modules, with 6 accurately classifying AD (areas under the receiver operating characteristics curve [auROCs] > 0.90). These modules stratified AD patients into subgroups with distinct disease states. Cell-type deconvolution analysis identified specific blood cell types potentially associated with AD pathogenesis., Discussion: This study highlights the potential of blood transcriptome for AD diagnosis, patient stratification, and mechanistic studies., Highlights: We comprehensively analyze the blood transcriptomes of a well-characterized Alzheimer's disease cohort to identify genes, gene modules, pathways, and specific blood cells associated with the disease. Blood transcriptome analysis accurately classifies and stratifies patients with Alzheimer's disease, with some gene modules achieving classification accuracy comparable to that of the plasma ATN biomarkers. Immune-associated pathways and immune cells, such as neutrophils, have potential roles in the pathogenesis and progression of Alzheimer's disease., (© 2024 The Authors. Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)

Introduction: Existing blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) mainly focus on its pathological features. However, studies on blood-based biomarkers associated with other biological processes for a comprehensive evaluation of AD status are limited., Methods: We developed a blood-based, multiplex biomarker assay for AD that measures the levels of 21 proteins involved in multiple biological pathways. We evaluated the assay's performance for classifying AD and indicating AD-related endophenotypes in three independent cohorts from Chinese or European-descent populations., Results: The 21-protein assay accurately classified AD (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] = 0.9407 to 0.9867) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI; AUC = 0.8434 to 0.8945) while also indicating brain amyloid pathology. Moreover, the assay simultaneously evaluated the changes of five biological processes in individuals and revealed the ethnic-specific dysregulations of biological processes upon AD progression., Discussion: This study demonstrated the utility of a blood-based, multi-pathway biomarker assay for early screening and staging of AD, providing insights for patient stratification and precision medicine., Highlights: The authors developed a blood-based biomarker assay for Alzheimer's disease. The 21-protein assay classifies AD/MCI and indicates brain amyloid pathology. The 21-protein assay can simultaneously assess activities of five biological processes. Ethnic-specific dysregulations of biological processes in AD were revealed., (© 2024 The Authors. Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)

Introduction: Blood proteins are emerging as candidate biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD). We systematically profiled the plasma proteome to identify novel AD blood biomarkers and develop a high-performance, blood-based test for AD., Methods: We quantified 1160 plasma proteins in a Hong Kong Chinese cohort by high-throughput proximity extension assay and validated the results in an independent cohort. In subgroup analyses, plasma biomarkers for amyloid, tau, phosphorylated tau, and neurodegeneration were used as endophenotypes of AD., Results: We identified 429 proteins that were dysregulated in AD plasma. We selected 19 "hub proteins" representative of the AD plasma protein profile, which formed the basis of a scoring system that accurately classified clinical AD (area under the curve  = 0.9690-0.9816) and associated endophenotypes. Moreover, specific hub proteins exhibit disease stage-dependent dysregulation, which can delineate AD stages., Discussion: This study comprehensively profiled the AD plasma proteome and serves as a foundation for a high-performance, blood-based test for clinical AD screening and staging., (© 2021 The Authors. Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)

Introduction: Down syndrome (DS) is associated with an almost universal development of Alzheimer's disease. Individuals with DS are therefore an important population for randomized controlled trials to prevent or delay cognitive decline, though it is essential to understand the time course of early cognitive changes., Methods: We conducted the largest cognitive study to date with 312 adults with DS to assess age-related and Alzheimer's disease-related cognitive changes during progression from preclinical to prodromal dementia, and prodromal to clinical dementia., Results: Changes in memory and attention measures were most sensitive to early decline. Resulting sample size calculations for randomized controlled trials to detect significant treatment effects to delay decline were modest., Discussion: Our findings address uncertainties around the development of randomized controlled trials to delay cognitive decline in DS. Such trials are essential to reduce the high burden of dementia in people with DS and could serve as proof-of-principle trials for some drug targets., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)