Objective: To investigate the diagnostic and prognostic value of cytokine profiles in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum of patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD), Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD), and Alzheimer’s pathology, aiming to identify novel neuroinflammatory biomarkers for these neurodegenerative diseases.

Background: The role of the immune system is increasingly recognized in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. However, the diagnostic and prognostic utility of cytokine profiles in distinguishing between these diseases remains unclear. This study focuses on understanding the relationship between cytokine concentrations in CSF and serum samples and the clinical presentation of PD and tauopathies.

Method: This project employed a multiplex cytokine assay to quantify cytokine levels from patients with PD, PSP, CBD, and Alzheimer’s pathologies. The assay’s reliability was assessed, and cytokine concentration differences were analyzed between patient groups. Clinical and nuclear medical data were integrated to evaluate the significance of cytokine profiles in diagnosis and prognosis.

Results: Preliminary analyses revealed significant differences in cytokine concentrations, highlighting distinct cytokine profiles for PD and PSP. In our investigation, we discovered that previously described cytokines, such as interleukins and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, exhibited differential expression patterns capable of distinguishing between PD and PSP. Furthermore, we identified a previously undescribed cytokine, the T-cell attracting chemokine (CTACK), as significantly altered in PSP compared to PD. In an extensive study aimed at exploring the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease CTACK was the only cytokine found not to correlate with an increased risk. This finding prompted us to further investigate cytokines in various tauopathies.

Conclusion: The study highlights the potential of cytokine profiles in CSF and serum as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for PD and tauopathies. The identified cytokine patterns offer a deeper understanding of the neuroinflammatory mechanisms in these conditions, contributing to the development of targeted therapeutic strategies. Future research should focus on validating these biomarkers in larger cohorts and exploring their utility in clinical practice.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/cytokine-profiles-as-biomarkers-for-neurodegenerative-diseases-an-inflammatory-study-on-parkinsons-disease-and-tauopathies/