Category: Other
Objective: To determine if there is an association between the presence of naturally occurring plasma tau autoantibodies and a movement disorder diagnosis.
Background: The microtubule-associated protein tau has a well-established role in neurodegenerative diseases. The abnormal deposition of tau aggregates has been demonstrated in tauopathies, including progressive supranuclear gaze palsy (PSP), and also in Parkinson’s disease dementia. Naturally occurring tau autoantibodies, which are able to prevent tau aggregation in vitro, have been found in the plasma of asymptomatic donors and it has been hypothesized that these autoantibodies may have a role in modifying disease risk. Tau passive immunization strategies are being tested in clinical trials as a potential treatment for several tauopathies.
Method: We tested >20’000 unselected plasma samples from a university hospital cohort using a miniaturized indirect ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) automated platform that detected naturally occurring autoantibodies directed against the microtubule-binding domain of tau. We used multivariate log-binomial regression models to estimate the risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the presence of plasma tau autoantibodies in 4 main groups of movement disorders classified using ICD-10 (International Classification of Disease and Related Health Problems, 10th revision) codes.
Results: Of the initial unselected 21’995 samples, we identified 265 patients with extrapyramidal disorders. We found no evidence that the presence of plasma autoantibodies against the microtubule-binding domain of tau protein is associated with Parkinson’s disease, atypical parkinsonism, essential tremor or dystonia.
Conclusion: This study found no evidence to support a putative protective role for plasma microtubule-binding domain of tau autoantibodies in movement disorders.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
AD. Magalhães, M. Emmenegger, E. de Cecco, M. Carta, K. Frontzek, A. Chincisan, S. Hornemann, A. Aguzzi. No association between naturally occurring plasma tau autoantibodies and movement disorders [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2022; 37 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/no-association-between-naturally-occurring-plasma-tau-autoantibodies-and-movement-disorders/. Accessed June 14, 2025.« Back to 2022 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/no-association-between-naturally-occurring-plasma-tau-autoantibodies-and-movement-disorders/