Table 2.
Abnormal phosphorylation status detected in AD CSF tau (Aβ+) is recapitulated in plasma tau
nt-taupT217/T217p-tau-217 levelpT181/T181p-tau-181 levelpS202/S202
Tau SILK discovery cohort 
AUROC 
 CSF Aβ vs. Aβ+ 19 vs. 15 0.95**** [0.88–1.00] 1.00**** [1.00–1.00] 1.00**** [1.00–1.00] 0.95**** [0.89–1.00] 0.98**** [0.95–1.00] 0.72* [0.55–0.90] 
 Plasma Aβ vs. Aβ+ 19 vs. 15 0.67ns 0.98**** [0.94–1.00] 0.99**** [0.97–1.00] 0.98**** [0.95–1.00] 0.95**** [0.89–1.00] 0.58ns 
Correlation, Spearman r 
 CSF vs. plasma: all 34 0.23ns 0.78**** [0.59–0.88] 0.78**** [0.59–0.89] 0.68**** [0.43–0.83] 0.68**** [0.44–0.83] −0.05ns 
 CSF vs. plasma: Aβ+ 15 0.29ns 0.71** [0.31–0.89] 0.39ns [−0.16–0.76] 0.54* [0.02–0.82] 0.19ns 0.04ns 
Percent difference relative to controlsa 
 CSF 
  All Aβ+ vs. controls 15 vs. 17 188 (110)ns 215 (31)ns 791 (110)**** 25 (18)**** 252 (110) −14 (57)**** 
  Aβ+/CDR = 0 vs. controls 5 vs. 17 112 (90)ns 167 (27)ns 450 (84)*** 19 (19)* 154 (97) −6 (59)* 
  Aβ+/CDR = 0.5 vs. controls 8 vs. 17 146 (83)ns 235 (30)ns 683 (71)**** 30 (18)**** 213 (79) −19 (57)**** 
 Plasma 
  All Aβ+ vs. controls 15 vs. 17 29 (58)**** 342 (68)**** 506 (95)**** 74 (39)** 128 (80) −4 (55)**** 
  Aβ+/CDR = 0 vs. controls 5 vs. 17 20 (53)ns 228 (56)** 285 (56)*** 60 (43)ns 86 (58) −5 (55)ns 
  Aβ+/CDR = 0.5 vs. controls 8 vs. 17 29 (61)ns 282 (73)**** 379 (93)**** 78 (36)ns 136 (85) −4 (54)** 
CSF/plasma ratio 
 All cohort 34 102 (31) 4.1 (1.2) 418 (197) 1.6 (0.5) 160 (62) 0.5 (0.2) 
 Aβ 19 99 (22) 4.6 (1.2) 435 (101) 1.8 (0.5) 178 (57) 0.6 (0.3) 
 Aβ+ 15 106 (39) 3.6 (1.3) 396 (272) 1.3 (0.2) 136 (60) 0.5 (0.2) 
Aβ SILK validation cohort 
AUROC 
CSF 
  All Aβ vs. Aβ+ 42 vs. 50 0.78**** [0.68–0.88] 1.00**** [0.99–1.00] 0.96**** [0.92–1.00] 0.97**** [0.93–1.00] 0.87**** [0.80–0.95]  
  Aβ vs. Aβ+ CDR0 31 vs. 19 0.74** [0.59–0.89] 0.99**** [0.98–1.00] 0.96**** [0.92–1.00] 0.92**** [0.81–1.00] 0.82*** [0.68–0.95]  
  Aβ vs. Aβ+ CDR0.5 11 vs. 22 0.74** [0.59–0.89] 1.00**** [1.00–1.00] 0.99**** [0.97–1.00] 1.00**** [1.00–1.00] 0.95*** [0.89–1.00]  
 Plasma 
  Plasma Aβ vs. Aβ+ 42 vs. 50 0.59ns [0.47–0.71] 0.92**** [0.87–0.98] 0.93**** [0.87–0.98] 0.75**** [0.65–0.86] 0.72*** [0.61–0.82]  
  Aβ vs. Aβ+ CDR0 31 vs. 20 0.61ns [0.45–0.77] 0.86**** [0.73–0.99] 0.86****[0.74–0.99] 0.66ns 0.67ns  
  Aβ vs. Aβ+ CDR0.5 11 vs. 24 0.50ns [0.30–0.71] 0.95**** [0.87–1.00] 0.93****[0.85–1.00] 0.86*** [0.74–0.98] 0.68ns  
Correlation, Spearman r 
 CSF vs. plasma: all 92 0.03ns 0.79**** [0.70–0.86] 0.70**** [0.57–0.79] 0.45**** [0.27–0.60] 0.21ns [−0.01 to 0.41]  
 CSF vs. plasma: Aβ+ 50 0.03ns 0.59**** [0.36–0.75] 0.25ns 0.22ns 0.08ns  
 Aβ PET vs. plasma: all 66 −0.02ns [−0.26 to 0.23] 0.70**** [0.54–0.81] 0.67**** [0.51–0.79] 0.45*** [0.22–0.63] 0.26* [0.00–0.48]  
 Aβ PET vs. plasma: Aβ+ 34 −0.20ns [−0.51 to 0.16] 0.38* [0.04–0.64] 0.30ns [−0.05–0.59] 0.25ns [−0.12–0.55] −0.04ns [−0.39 to 0.32]  
nt-taupT217/T217p-tau-217 levelpT181/T181p-tau-181 levelpS202/S202
Tau SILK discovery cohort 
AUROC 
 CSF Aβ vs. Aβ+ 19 vs. 15 0.95**** [0.88–1.00] 1.00**** [1.00–1.00] 1.00**** [1.00–1.00] 0.95**** [0.89–1.00] 0.98**** [0.95–1.00] 0.72* [0.55–0.90] 
 Plasma Aβ vs. Aβ+ 19 vs. 15 0.67ns 0.98**** [0.94–1.00] 0.99**** [0.97–1.00] 0.98**** [0.95–1.00] 0.95**** [0.89–1.00] 0.58ns 
Correlation, Spearman r 
 CSF vs. plasma: all 34 0.23ns 0.78**** [0.59–0.88] 0.78**** [0.59–0.89] 0.68**** [0.43–0.83] 0.68**** [0.44–0.83] −0.05ns 
 CSF vs. plasma: Aβ+ 15 0.29ns 0.71** [0.31–0.89] 0.39ns [−0.16–0.76] 0.54* [0.02–0.82] 0.19ns 0.04ns 
Percent difference relative to controlsa 
 CSF 
  All Aβ+ vs. controls 15 vs. 17 188 (110)ns 215 (31)ns 791 (110)**** 25 (18)**** 252 (110) −14 (57)**** 
  Aβ+/CDR = 0 vs. controls 5 vs. 17 112 (90)ns 167 (27)ns 450 (84)*** 19 (19)* 154 (97) −6 (59)* 
  Aβ+/CDR = 0.5 vs. controls 8 vs. 17 146 (83)ns 235 (30)ns 683 (71)**** 30 (18)**** 213 (79) −19 (57)**** 
 Plasma 
  All Aβ+ vs. controls 15 vs. 17 29 (58)**** 342 (68)**** 506 (95)**** 74 (39)** 128 (80) −4 (55)**** 
  Aβ+/CDR = 0 vs. controls 5 vs. 17 20 (53)ns 228 (56)** 285 (56)*** 60 (43)ns 86 (58) −5 (55)ns 
  Aβ+/CDR = 0.5 vs. controls 8 vs. 17 29 (61)ns 282 (73)**** 379 (93)**** 78 (36)ns 136 (85) −4 (54)** 
CSF/plasma ratio 
 All cohort 34 102 (31) 4.1 (1.2) 418 (197) 1.6 (0.5) 160 (62) 0.5 (0.2) 
 Aβ 19 99 (22) 4.6 (1.2) 435 (101) 1.8 (0.5) 178 (57) 0.6 (0.3) 
 Aβ+ 15 106 (39) 3.6 (1.3) 396 (272) 1.3 (0.2) 136 (60) 0.5 (0.2) 
Aβ SILK validation cohort 
AUROC 
CSF 
  All Aβ vs. Aβ+ 42 vs. 50 0.78**** [0.68–0.88] 1.00**** [0.99–1.00] 0.96**** [0.92–1.00] 0.97**** [0.93–1.00] 0.87**** [0.80–0.95]  
  Aβ vs. Aβ+ CDR0 31 vs. 19 0.74** [0.59–0.89] 0.99**** [0.98–1.00] 0.96**** [0.92–1.00] 0.92**** [0.81–1.00] 0.82*** [0.68–0.95]  
  Aβ vs. Aβ+ CDR0.5 11 vs. 22 0.74** [0.59–0.89] 1.00**** [1.00–1.00] 0.99**** [0.97–1.00] 1.00**** [1.00–1.00] 0.95*** [0.89–1.00]  
 Plasma 
  Plasma Aβ vs. Aβ+ 42 vs. 50 0.59ns [0.47–0.71] 0.92**** [0.87–0.98] 0.93**** [0.87–0.98] 0.75**** [0.65–0.86] 0.72*** [0.61–0.82]  
  Aβ vs. Aβ+ CDR0 31 vs. 20 0.61ns [0.45–0.77] 0.86**** [0.73–0.99] 0.86****[0.74–0.99] 0.66ns 0.67ns  
  Aβ vs. Aβ+ CDR0.5 11 vs. 24 0.50ns [0.30–0.71] 0.95**** [0.87–1.00] 0.93****[0.85–1.00] 0.86*** [0.74–0.98] 0.68ns  
Correlation, Spearman r 
 CSF vs. plasma: all 92 0.03ns 0.79**** [0.70–0.86] 0.70**** [0.57–0.79] 0.45**** [0.27–0.60] 0.21ns [−0.01 to 0.41]  
 CSF vs. plasma: Aβ+ 50 0.03ns 0.59**** [0.36–0.75] 0.25ns 0.22ns 0.08ns  
 Aβ PET vs. plasma: all 66 −0.02ns [−0.26 to 0.23] 0.70**** [0.54–0.81] 0.67**** [0.51–0.79] 0.45*** [0.22–0.63] 0.26* [0.00–0.48]  
 Aβ PET vs. plasma: Aβ+ 34 −0.20ns [−0.51 to 0.16] 0.38* [0.04–0.64] 0.30ns [−0.05–0.59] 0.25ns [−0.12–0.55] −0.04ns [−0.39 to 0.32]  

Data are shown as mean (SD) for % of increase compared to control value and ratio and as value (95%, CI) for AUROC and Spearman r. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001; ****, P < 0.0001. ns, not significant per the Mann–Whitney test against aged and normal control groups (amyloid-negative participants without cognitive symptoms). Numbers in brackets indicate confidence intervals for AUROC.

a

Statistical significance (t test using the linear step-up procedure of Benjamini, Krieger, and Yekutieli) of the change compared to p-tau-181 level change as reference.

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