Modulation of Amyloid-β and Tau in Alzheimer’s Disease Plasma Neuronal-Derived Extracellular Vesicles by Cerebrolysin® and Donepezil

Background: Plasma neuronal-derived extracellular vesicles (NDEV) contain proteins of pathological, diagnostic, and therapeutic relevance. Objective: We investigated the associations of six plasma NDEV markers with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) severity, cognition and functioning, and changes in these biomarkers after Cerebrolysin®, donepezil, and a combination therapy in AD. Methods: Plasma NDEV levels of Aβ42, total tau, P-T181-tau, P-S393-tau, neurogranin, and REST were determined in: 1) 116 mild to advanced AD patients and in 20 control subjects; 2) 110 AD patients treated with Cerebrolysin®, donepezil, or combination therapy in a randomized clinical trial (RCT). Samples for NDEV determinations were obtained at baseline in the NDEV study and at baseline and study endpoint in the RCT. Cognition and functioning were assessed at the same time points. Results: NDEV levels of Aβ42, total tau, P-T181-tau, and P-S393-tau were higher and those of neurogranin and REST were lower in mild-to-moderate AD than in controls (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001). NDEV total tau, neurogranin, and REST increased with AD severity (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001). NDEV Aβ42 and P-T181-tau correlated negatively with serum BDNF (p < 0.05), and total-tau levels were associated to plasma TNF-α (p < 0.01) and cognitive impairment (p < 0.05). Combination therapy reduced NDEV Aβ42 with respect to monotherapies (p < 0.05); and NDEV total tau, P-T181-tau, and P-S396-tau were decreased in Cerebrolysin-treated patients compared to those on donepezil monotherapy (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The present results demonstrate the utility of NDEV determinations of pathologic and synaptic proteins as effective AD biomarkers, as markers of AD severity, and as potential tools for monitoring the effects of anti-AD drugs.