BACKGROUND: Proteinase-activated receptor 2 (PAR-2) has been shown to promote both neurotoxic and neuroprotective effects. Similarly, other routinely used nonspecific markers of neuronal damage can be found in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and can be used as biomarkers for different neurodegenerative disorders. METHODS: Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and western blotting we assessed PAR-2, total-tau, phospho-tau, beta-amyloid levels, and protein 14-3-3 in the CSF of former patients who had undergone a neuropathological autopsy after death and who had been definitively diagnosed with a prion or other neurodegenerative disease. RESULTS: We did not find any significant correlation between levels of PAR-2 and other biomarkers, nor did we find any differences in PAR-2 levels between prion diseases and other neurodegenerative conditions. However, we confirmed that very high total-tau levels were significantly associated with definitive prion diagnoses and exhibited greater sensitivity and specificity than protein 14-3-3, which is routinely used as a marker. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that PAR-2, in CSF, was not specifically altered in prion diseases compared to other neurodegenerative conditions. Our results also confirmed that very high total-tau protein CSF levels were significantly associated with a definitive Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) diagnosis and should be routinely tested as a diagnostic marker. Observed individual variability in CSF biomarkers provide invaluable feedback from neuropathological examinations even in "clinically certain" cases.

• MeSH
• Alzheimer Disease cerebrospinal fluid   diagnosis   MeSH
• Amyloid beta-Peptides cerebrospinal fluid   MeSH
• Biomarkers cerebrospinal fluid   MeSH
• Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome cerebrospinal fluid   diagnosis   MeSH
• Diagnosis, Differential MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay MeSH
• Phosphoproteins cerebrospinal fluid   MeSH
• Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration cerebrospinal fluid   diagnosis   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Neurodegenerative Diseases cerebrospinal fluid   diagnosis   MeSH
• Autopsy MeSH
• Supranuclear Palsy, Progressive cerebrospinal fluid   diagnosis   MeSH
• 14-3-3 Proteins cerebrospinal fluid   MeSH
• tau Proteins cerebrospinal fluid   MeSH
• Receptor, PAR-2 metabolism   MeSH
• Aged, 80 and over MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Sensitivity and Specificity MeSH
• Dementia, Vascular cerebrospinal fluid   diagnosis   MeSH
• Blotting, Western MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged, 80 and over MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Amyloid beta-Peptides MeSH
• Biomarkers MeSH
• Phosphoproteins MeSH
• 14-3-3 Proteins MeSH
• tau Proteins MeSH
• Receptor, PAR-2 MeSH