Blood-based biomarkers have been considered as a promising
method
for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The reliability
and accuracy of plasma core AD biomarkers, including phosphorylated
tau (P-tau181), total tau (T-tau), Aβ42, and Aβ40, have
also been confirmed in diagnosing AD and predicting cerebral β-amyloid
(Aβ) deposition in Western populations, while fewer research
studies have ever been conducted in China’s Han population.
In this study, we investigated the capability of plasma core AD biomarkers
in predicting cerebral Aβ deposition burden among the China
Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorder Initiative (CANDI) cohort consisting
of cognitively normal (CN), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), AD dementia,
and non-Alzheimer’s dementia disease (Non-ADD). Body fluid
(plasma and CSF) AD core biomarkers were measured via single-molecule
array (Simoa) immunoassay. The global standard uptake value ratio
(SUVR) was then calculated by 18F-florbetapir PET, which
was divided into positive (+) and negative (−). The most significant
correlation between plasma and CSF was plasma P-tau181 (r = 0.526, P < 0.0001). Plasma P-tau181 and P-tau181/T-tau
ratio were positively correlated with global SUVR (r = 0.257, P < 0.0001; r = 0.263, P < 0.0001, respectively), while Aβ42 and Aβ42/Aβ40
ratio were negatively correlated with global SUVR (r = −0.346, P < 0.0001; r = −0.407, P < 0.0001, respectively).
Interestingly, voxel-wise analysis showed that plasma P-tau181 and
P-tau181/T-tau ratio were negatively related to 18F-florbetapir
PET in the hippocampus and parahippocampal cortex. The optimal predictive
capability in distinguishing all Aβ+ participants from Aβ–
participants and MCI+ from MCI– subgroups was the plasma P-tau181/T-tau
ratio (AUC = 0.825 and 0.834, respectively). Our study suggested that
plasma P-tau181 and P-tau181/T-tau ratio possessed better diagnostic
and predictive values than plasma Aβ42 and Aβ42/Aβ40
in this cohort, a finding that may be useful in clinical practices
and trials in China.