Alzheimer’s Marker โFound in Newborns: What Does โIt Mean?
Recent research has revealed surprisingly high levels of the โขAlzheimer’s disease biomarker pTau217 in newborns, peaking aroundโฃ the fourth to fifth month of pregnancy and decreasing โto roughly half โits concentration by six months after birth. This finding, while initially concerning,โค is promptingโ scientists to re-evaluate ourโข understanding โof tau protein function and its role in neurological health.
The study analyzed various proteins โขin blood samples across different age groups. Whileโ pTau217 was elevated in newborns, levels of beta-amyloid were lower in โคnewborns compared to older participants.Another protein, neurofilament โคlight chain (NFL), often associated with brain injury, was also increased in newborns relative to adolescents and adults, though โขnot to the same extent as seen โin older individuals. Researchers suggest this โฃelevated NFL โคin infants might potentially be linked to โnormal โbrain development andโ the physical stress of birth,โข especially vaginal delivery, wich can cause cranial compression.
The presenceโ of pTau217 is notable given its established connection to both beta-amyloid โคpathology in Alzheimer’s โdisease and its elevation in rare neurological conditions like Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Niemann-Pick disease type C, and ALS. Certain mutations โคin the tau โคgene are also known to increase pTau217 concentration. โฃ Previous research has documented extensive tau phosphorylation – a modification of the protein – within the developing brain, though โฃbabies do not exhibit the same protein clumpsโค seen in older Alzheimer’s patients, despite the presence of similarlyโค modified โฃtau โproteins.
Interestingly,the fetal brain utilizes a unique โfetal isoform of tau,differing from the six isoforms typically found in the adult brain. This โคfetal isoform may play a protective role during development, possibly preventing the protein aggregations that contribute to toxicity in older adults. Further investigation isโฃ needed to confirm this hypothesis.
The research also points to the potential for reversibility in tau hyperphosphorylation. Studies on hibernating ground squirrels and black bears โdemonstrate that increased tau phosphorylation occurs duringโข hibernation and reverses upon awakening, suggesting a protective functionโฃ during periodsโค of metabolic stress. โSimilarly, anesthesiaโค in mice canโ induceโ tau phosphorylation, a โคchange that is generally reversible unless repeated anesthesia is administered.
The study underscores the complexity โฃof Alzheimer’s disease biology. A positive pTau217 test result โขin a newborn doesโข not equate to a future Alzheimer’s diagnosis. However, continued research into tau protein dynamics and the mechanisms that reverse its modifications could pave the โขway for novel therapeutic strategies.
