Post‐translational modifications linked to preclinical Alzheimer's disease–related pathological and cognitive changes

Abstract

AbstractINTRODUCTIONIn this study, we leverage proteomic techniques to identify communities of proteins underlying Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk among clinically unimpaired (CU) older adults.METHODSWe constructed a protein co‐expression network using 3869 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteins quantified by SomaLogic, Inc., in a cohort of participants along the AD clinical spectrum. We then replicated this network in an independent cohort of CU older adults and related these modules to clinically‐relevant outcomes.RESULTSWe discovered modules enriched for phosphorylation and ubiquitination that were associated with abnormal amyloid status, as well as p‐tau181 (M4: β = 2.44, p < 0.001, M7: β = 2.57, p < 0.001) and executive function performance (M4: β = −2.00, p = 0.005, M7: β = −2.39, p < 0.001).DISCUSSIONIn leveraging CSF proteomic data from individuals spanning the clinical spectrum of AD, we highlight the importance of post‐translational modifications for early cognitive and pathological changes.