Bacioglu M, Maia LF, Preische O, Schelle J, Apel A, Kaeser SA, Schweighauser M, Eninger T, Lambert M, Pilotto A, Shimshek DR, Neumann U, Kahle PJ, Staufenbiel M, Neumann M, Maetzler W, Kuhle J, Jucker M. Neurofilament Light Chain in Blood and CSF as Marker of Disease Progression in Mouse Models and in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Neuron. 2016 Jul 6;91(1):56-66. Epub 2016 Jun 9 PubMed.

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  1. I think this is a very important set of findings on NfL. Certainly the changes seen in the animal models of α-synuclein, tau, and Aβ are much more prominent than in humans (probably because of marked overexpression of the transgenes). However, this demonstrates, especially from the CSF perspective, how a marker like this could be useful as a biomarker of neurodegeneration that could respond to therapy (shown for Aβ in this case). I think that clinical trials of potential “disease-modifying agents” should start incorporating plasma and CSF NfL in their studies to learn more about this and to see if it is useful in predicting slowing of neurodegeneration.

    View all comments by David Holtzman

  2. The findings presented by Mathias Jucker’s group are highly interesting and timely for the field. The identification of neurofilament light chain (NfL) as a robust biomarker of neurodegeneration across multiple neurodegenerative conditions in both humans and their surrogate transgenic animal models was quite impressive. I found the magnitude of the increased levels of NfL to be truly remarkable, especially in the more aggressive neurodegeneration-based transgenic models (synuclein/tauopathy models). Also, the data demonstrated similarly dramatic increases for the neurodegenerative biomarker in both CSF and plasma, a result that suggests a blood-based neurodegenerative biomarker may be more proximal than what many in the field currently believe. I think it will be quite exciting to see how the Jucker group’s biomarker discovery leads to further investigations on NfL in human neurodegeneration populations and in therapeutic intervention trials.

    View all comments by Ronald DeMattos

  3. It is interesting, and appers logical, that NfL levels correlate better with intracellular than with extracellular pathology.

    View all comments by Takaomi Saido

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