Sponsored Content by TecanJun 10 2024Reviewed by Olivia Frost Millions of people are affected by neurodegenerative diseases worldwide, with increased risks associated with contributing factors such as age, genetics, and environmental conditions. All NDs are characterized by the loss of neurons, resulting in cognitive or functional impairment, or sometimes both.
Therefore, resolving such protein patterns at the proteoform level, a distinct molecular variant of a protein that involves post-translational modifications could transform approaches in how these disorders are diagnosed and treated. Nevertheless, as these proteins are also implicated in the pathogenesis of other neurodegenerative diseases, it is imperative to measure additional proteins concurrently to enhance diagnostic precision.
These proteins are covered in extensive detail in the latest paper by the International Working Group for AD, which acknowledges the fact that AD diagnosis should be based on both clinical and biological characteristics, advising Aβ1-42, Aβ1-40:Aβ1-42 ratio and pTAU as preferred biomarkers.4 Therefore, increased NF-L levels in CSF could be used as a marker in MS for prognosis in clinically isolated syndrome , as well as relapsing-remitting MS.
It is also believed to boost prognostic accuracy, as it has the capacity to closely measure patients’ pharmacodynamic response to treatment.9