Elevated levels of circulating plasma sPDGFRβ in cognitively impaired APOE4 carriers.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional comparative biomarker study
PubMed 42118474 · doi:10.1007/s11357-026-02291-y
What was done
Researchers measured plasma levels of soluble platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β (sPDGFRβ, a marker of blood-brain barrier pericyte injury), amyloid-beta (Aβ) 42/40 ratio, and phosphorylated tau 217 (pTau217) in 115 participants. The cohort consisted of APOE3 homozygotes and APOE4 carriers stratified by Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scores of 0 (unimpaired) or 0.5 (impaired).
What was found
Plasma sPDGFRβ levels were elevated in cognitively impaired APOE4 carriers compared to both cognitively unimpaired APOE4 carriers and cognitively impaired APOE3 carriers, even after adjusting for plasma Aβ 42/40 ratio and pTau217. The abstract reports no exact numerical values, effect sizes, or p-values.
Why it matters
This indicates that peripheral blood measurements of sPDGFRβ may serve as an accessible biomarker for blood-brain barrier pericyte breakdown in APOE4 carriers, providing information independent of classic amyloid and tau pathology.
Limits
The study is cross-sectional with a modest sample size (n = 115), precluding longitudinal or causal inferences. The abstract omits numerical data, confidence intervals, and participant demographic details.
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